neowin.net

PressPass: Will Microsoft extend sales of other editions of Windows XP?

Dix: No, there is no plan to extend sales of other editions of Windows XP beyond June 30, 2008. We are very proud of the progress that we have made with Windows Vista over the last sixteen months. Since its launch, Windows Vista has become the fastest-selling operating system in Microsoft history, and more than 100 million Windows Vista licenses have been sold worldwide.

Last fall, our OEM partners asked us to extend sales of Windows XP to give their customers more time to transition to Windows Vista while we worked with other software vendors to expand application compatibility. Today, more than 2,500 applications have received the Windows Vista logo (a ten-fold increase since launch) and more than 78,000 devices and components are supported by drivers either in-box or on Windows Update. On NPD’s list of the top 100 consumer applications selling at retail, 98 are now compatible—and the latest versions of the top free downloads (Adobe Reader, Shockwave and iTunes) are all compatible.

Given this landscape and after consulting with our partners, apart from today’s announced extension of Windows XP Home for ULCPCs, we are maintaining the timelines we announced in September.

I should also note that there will also be no impact on our technical support plans—mainstream technical support will continue to be available until April 2009 and extended support will continue until April 2014.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/feature...04-03xpeos.mspx

does this mean that past June 30th I will not be able to buy a laptop with XP on it? Please tell me I am mistaken. I am hoping to upgrade to a new laptop mainly for battery life, so I am looking at panasonic toughbooks, mainly the t7 with xp on it. I wasn't going to upgrade before July but now I might have to.

... except for low-end laptops

Yes, thats what it means. Remember though, that it go 'off sale' right on that day. The quantities of it would then have to be sold through.
You could always buy a copy of it now and install it on the laptop whenever you decide to purchase one. It costs a little more, sure, but if its what you really want then ...



ULCPCs and 'low end laptops' are not really the same thing. ULCPCs are things like the Asus Eee. Not really a laptop. A low end laptop would be something like the cheapest HP you can buy.

how is vista anyway with laptop battery life compared to xp?

"Windows Vista has become the fastest-selling operating system in Microsoft history"

That's a joke. Who are they trying to fool?

My experence has been that there is very little difference between the two, with XP just having a slight edge over Vista.

What one sold more?

This isnt a Vista bash (for once...) but PC's are more common (and cheap) than ever these days, so when the average consumer (and everyone else that upgraded) buys a new PC there going to get Vista, with no choice in the matter. Also I'm buying a Dell XPS laptop and I don't get any other options other than Vista, so that will be a sale from me, but I shall be sticking XP on it as soon I get it.

No one, because that statement is true.

Anyway, if they really think Vista is ready enough for low end PCs and Laptops, and are prepared to sort out the numerous problems this is likely to cause, then meh.

They should leave it for another 6 months at least, or just before the Holiday season.

It's a true statement because more people have a pc/laptop than ever before.

I haven't had hardly any problems with Vista, I'm quite happy with it actually.

That makes sense. Regardless how you look at it, Vista has been a success from Microsoft's POV. They've sold more than any other commercial OS on the planet in the last 16 months - including other versions of Windows, and last year had the most revenue ever as well....

Anyway, Vista on a laptop runs fine - as it does witha desktop that's no older than 4 years. Battery is slightly worse if you have all the graphical and SuperFetch stuff running. Also remember, Vista uses a 'Sleep' mode (hibernation and traditional sleep) by default when you power it off. Essentially, if you don't use the Aero glass interface and really power off or hibernate (like you do in XP) then it's the same or better than XP regarding power consumption.
Also, the mobility centre is a vast improvement. Desktop/SysTray app that with one click allows you to enable/disable wifi, bluetooth, network based presentations, contrast etc. As well as viewing / editing power management and battery setting and a whole host of other stuff.

If the laptop is no more than 2 years old (3 if it was a high-end laptop at the time) then shove Vista on it.

Stevan = if you really want to have XP on your box (and I honestly recommend just moving to Vista. It really does work fine) then get an OEM copy now. Buy a IDE ribbon cable or something with it so it's technically legal and you'll have XP for £50 on a CD. When you buy a new laptop then just get it with PC-DOS or something.

Cheers,


Steve.

It's a shame you have to get stuck with one OS when you buy a PC rather than having a choice or being able to buy it with no OS installed. According to Microsoft buying a PC with no OS means you are a pirate though. That's another great thing about building your own. Put any OS you choose on it, and Ballmer and company can go jump in a volcano.

No custom laptops though

I will move onto Vista when it stops being a resource hog and the license costs $50.

Good. I honestly don't see what the big problem is here. IMO, Microsoft should have pulled XP from OEM's hands a lot sooner. Vista RTM was a good OS and SP1's made it even better.

I don't see why people would want to run a six year old OS on a brand new computer. If anyone would still want to run XP on a new computer, go right a head and install it yourself.