Microsoft plans to discontinue sales of Windows XP on new computers on June 30, completing the company's transition to Windows Vista. The end of the XP era was originally planned for late 2007, but Microsoft gave its old operating system a stay of execution after listening to feedback from consumers and industry partners.
InfoWorld, a technology industry publication, is hosting a petition that allows consumers to pledge their support for Windows XP being sold beyond June. At press, more than 111,000 people have signed it.
Microsoft will continue providing tech support for XP through April 2009 and security updates through 2014. The significance of the June 30 deadline is that anyone purchasing a machine from Dell, HP or any other major manufacturer will be forced to adopt Windows Vista as the operating system.
I assure you, it won't hurt.
It's frustrating to read other technology columnists and magazines recommending that consumers keep installing XP on their new machines. XP was released in October 2001. As a point of reference, the original iPod was released in the same month.
The first generation iPod had 5 gigabytes of storage, a black-and-white video screen and was as thick as a pack of cigarettes. Today, it's much thinner and has 160GB of storage. Or, you can buy the more advanced iPhone.
The amount of innovation between Vista and XP is no less. Vista introduced improved search and browsing support in the Windows shell, improved stability and sidebar Gadgets. More important than the superficial updates, Vista is a more secure system than XP, which can help reduce malware and viruses.
Vista is the foundation for the future of Windows-based computing. Recommending to someone purchasing a new computer, one that he plans to use for the next three to five years, to install XP is irresponsible.
One of the main arguments against Vista is its speed compared with XP. Most PCs shipping today are built with a minimum of 1GB of memory and a graphics card capable of running all the bells and whistles offered by Vista. XP will run faster on these machines, but only because it was designed for machines running on 2001 hardware. Pentium 4, anyone?
Others argue that Vista isn't compatible with all printers and third-party accessories purchased in the past decade. Look at it as an opportunity to upgrade your antiquated hardware with the latest offerings.
If you're still using a peripheral that doesn't connect via USB, it's time to send it to the recycling center.
For those who remember, the jump from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95 was just as substantial. We all survived then, and I promise we will get through Vista together.
Vista is not without its flaws, but it's not the worst operating system Microsoft has ever released (I'm looking at you, Windows Millennium).
If you are purchasing a new machine, stop fretting over Vista and start embracing it.
Justin Williams is a local blogger and the owner of Second Gear, a local Web and software development firm. He can be reached at justin@secondgearllc.com.
Originally published in The Evansville Courier & Press
