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XP's Fire Still Burning

Here's the funny thing about Windows XP: Just like Rambo, it seems to be a thing that just can't die. Microsoft tried to replace it with Vista, but it was Vista that pushed up the daisies. Windows 7 was a darn good try -- but even with that XP's heart didn't skip a beat.

In fact, XP share actually grew last month, albeit a paltry 0.67 percent. XP still has nearly half the OS market. Meanwhile MacOS totals a bit more than 5 percent. I'm not sure if Net Applications, which did the research, even bothered to look at Linux.

The research is all well and good, but the reader comments underneath the story really tell the tale. You see, IT really understands XP. Shop apps work, and admins know how to fix most every problem. And you don't need to buy a new machine, new OS, new apps and new drivers -- just keep XP chuggin' along.

Many in IT actually buy new machines, then wipe off Windows 7 and install XP -- all for that precious compatibility. And one reader points out that some OEMs still sell new netbook with XP, despite that fact that XP is set to lose support in a couple years.

Given that Microsoft both created and tolerates the situation that keeps XP compelling, I think formal support should be extended.

What say you? Thoughts welcome at dbarney@redmondmag.com.

Posted by Doug Barney on 02/06/2012 at 9:54 AM


Reader Comments:

Mon, Apr 23, 2012 Steve United States

what will we do when xp support ends? can we start a petition? l love xp and will use it forever.

Mon, Apr 2, 2012 Patrick Weisser Seattle

Wow and here we are two months later and according to NetMarketShare.com, XP just went from 41.98% market share to 43.09% while Windows 7 and Vista both declined. There's something happening here that's beyond Microsoft's ability to stop despite their best efforts. They should celebrate and support their success with XP and find a way to make it secure, supportable, and profitable without changing the essence of what it is that makes it so beloved by so many. There's certainly room for more than just one type of user experience in the vast install base of Windows. Microsoft should also see this increasing demand for XP as a very strong warning that they should not try and force Metro on desktop users -- the people who create and edit content with the productive precision afforded only with a mouse and keyboard.

Mon, Apr 2, 2012 Patrick Weisser Seattle

Wow and here we are two months later and according to NetMarketShare.com, XP just went from 41.98% market share to 43.09% while Windows 7 and Vista both declined. There's something happening here that's beyond Microsoft's ability to stop despite their best efforts. They should celebrate and support their success with XP and find a way to make it secure, supportable, and profitable without changing the essence of what it is that makes it so beloved by so many. There's certainly room for more than just one type of user experience in the vast install base of Windows. Microsoft should also see this increasing demand for XP as a very strong warning that they should not try and force Metro on desktop users -- the people who create and edit content with the productive precision afforded only with a mouse and keyboard.

Wed, Feb 8, 2012 Eric

We are one of those companies that take new PC's with Windows 7 keys and wipe it and install XP for compatibility with our software but I think it's good that MS is eventually ending support? Why? So our these lazy vendors will update their software so we can update our entire inventory. It's frustrating. We even have to support two Windows 2000 PC's. There are a lot of software that DOES NOT work well in XP anymore and it's getting worse.

Tue, Feb 7, 2012 Chris

Let's just remember that Microsoft is a business whose goal is profit. If we buy into their kool-aid (and we all do or we wouldn't be here), they determine when a product loses support, and the bottom dollar is a (if not THE) major factor. Would you expect Ford to extend a warranty on your Taurus (for FREE) when they really want you to go out and buy a new Fusion? Just doesn't make sense from a business perspective.

Tue, Feb 7, 2012 Chris

Let's just remember that Microsoft is a business whose goal is profit. If we buy into their kool-aid (and we all do or we wouldn't be here), they determine when a product loses support, and the bottom dollar is a (if not THE) major factor. Would you expect Ford to extend a warranty on your Taurus (for FREE) when they really want you to go out and buy a new Fusion? Just doesn't make sense from a business perspective.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 J5570 Central NY State

I like XP but am OK with the switch, I'm a little over half done changing out 90 PC's. The part that is so disconcerting to me is that we are almost at Win8 beta - just how soon do I have to tell the business owner that we have to start this all over again? Will Microsoft let Win7 live as long as XP will have by end of support? I could speed up my changeover by 50% if the owner could be assured that he was not going to have to do this again until at least 2020. Don't even get me started on printers and such.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 Crafty Colorado

Agree with keeping support for a lot longer. I have been supporting computers from the DOS days and XP is easy, compatible, easy to trouble-shoot, and is not a resource hog requiring a new machine and gobs of RAM. I like W7 too, but most users have no need for all the pizazz.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 Ken

I too, work in an educational enviornment teaching students network administration. In this case, it is important to stay up to date so the students learn on the latest OSs BUT we also have them install and learn on XP machines too. Personally, I like Windows 7 but liked XP just as much because of its stability. I think MS should continue to support it because a lot of companies still use it and plan to for a while.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 Ken

I too, work in an educational enviornment teaching students network administration. In this case, it is important to stay up to date so the students learn on the latest OSs BUT we also have them install and learn on XP machines too. Personally, I like Windows 7 but liked XP just as much because of its stability. I think MS should continue to support it because a lot of companies still use it and plan to for a while.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 ibsteve2u Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Computers...programming languages...operating systems...hammers...all nothing more or less than tools. In business (if not the home) you buy a tool that is adequate for the job - but anything more is waste no matter how many trips, dinners, and bottles of wine the vendor or consultant buys your CTO. XP still provides value; it still offers a stable platform that supports a wide variety of generic and custom applications. That latter - the ability to spin up a new way of meeting a business need quickly - is important, unless, of course, you're a monopoly like energy and your lack of competition eliminates the need for flexibility and enables you to afford gold-plated hammers (or, more truthfully, enables you to force your customers to buy you gold-plated hammers). Everybody else needs stability and flexibility; XP provides that in that it is readily used for everything from office needs to plant floor machine control and data collection. And, of course, there are those "legacy" programs built with those "legacy" development languages which curiously still remain superior choices for the RAD needs of margin-conscious businesses.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 Brian

Release XP as an open source project. The community that wants/needs it can continue to use/enhance it while Microsoft can wash its hands of it.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 Ken McAvoy Melbourne , Australia

There is an attitude in this world that thinks just because something is newer by date that it is better - well its not its just different. Why do those who wish XP a death forget an awful lot of other people like XP and are happy with it. Why is it not convenient for those who want XP to die to accept for example Ford and GMH both sell cars and different models in those brands. Why is it that Microsoft needs to kill off XP and Vista just because a small minority of people think so ? The thing is for those wanting W7 there is nothing stopping them from having it. Why are they so determined to kill off XP and deprive other people from using an operating system they like ,understand , can work with and it meets all their needs.I dislike that attitude and for those people who think they know best look after your backyard let us do the same. I think also Microsoft is losing an opportunity to keep XP going longer and offering say SP4 which gives it a W7 look and feel but is still the good old underlying XP. Doug you are right that many , many people are very happy with XP and see zero reason to change - why kill off the goose that laid and continues to lay golden eggs.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012

This past weekend I rebuilt my old WinXP PC, why? Because the games on it don't run on Windows 7 and I'm just not ready to give them up yet. I see no reason to stop supporting a good OS just because it's becoming long in the tooth. I truly enjoy my Windows 7 PC and it runs swimmingly with my vintage WinXP PC.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 GW

You guys talk like you got spare money laying around, we don't, and XP is actually more than we need. By the way some of our equipment still runs on DOS and Windows 3.11 and runs quite well if I might add.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 Dave

I've been using PCs since 1982 when the OS de jour was known as DOS 2.0. I've been through my share of OS upgrades. I think XP needs to die, if not by natural causes, then by lethal injection. I am responsbile for 85 PCs at our small company. We have two XP boxes left, and the only reason they're here is the scientific instruments they connect to don't quite know what to make of Windows 7. We expect to solve this in the next 90 days. Then we'll be all Win 7, and what a joy for me as the IT Admin. Supporting multiple OS's, especially one a decade old is a headache in a field full of enough headaches already. I understand some are clingy to XP. Truth be told, if I had to live with 7 for the next five years, I'd be OK with that. It's been great.

Mon, Feb 6, 2012 Chris

I think it's important to determine for each organization what the advantages are of staying with XP versus upgrading. For my organization, the benefits of the upgrade outweigh the costs. Windows 7 is much more secure, so we will have reduced IT time spent removing viruses, etc. Windows is not fully compatible with all legacy applications which is definitely a down-side, but it also forces our users to upgrade their software to more modern tools (web-based when possible). Also, as an education organization, I think it is important our students are trained to use today's technology so they are better prepared to create and consume the technology of tomorrow. If we continue to use 10+ year old software, how does that prepare our students for the future? We are on Window 7 on about 70% of our machines, and will reach 95% by the end of 2013 (hopefully sooner). I am more reluctant to dive into Windows 8 today, but am hoping to be encouraged by the beta.

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