How long before Microsoft Windows XP disappears?

Windows XP is in decline, on Netmarketshare's monthly numbers, but can we project how much longer it will stick around? It may be longer than you think

Netmarketshare's monthly updates on the state of the operating system and browser markets are useful not because the numbers are accurate — they clearly have a margin of error — but because they show trends. The most obvious trend at the moment is the decline of Microsoft's ancient Windows XP. This enables us to project how long it will be before Windows XP finally disappears, and you're welcome to have a go in the comments below.

The first question is, "What does 'disappear' mean?" There will clearly be a rump of Windows XP users for a long time. There are, after all, still a few people using Windows 98 (0.01 percent) and Windows 2000 (0.03 percent).

Read more at: How long before Microsoft Windows XP disappears? | ZDNet

 

[jimbo45]

I still have an ancient XP 166Mhz Pentium that I will never get rid of it...It really saved my arse last year, when My house was burglarized... That erned that ancient Pentium an eternal reprieve!

I know of a 386-SX 16 running as a controller for a saw mill (I built it to replace old one), using DOS and a program from early 1990s but that does not make it any better or faster.

Hi there

Who needs a mega fast "Cray like" speed on a computer to control a saw mill -- if the computer works fine - that's brilliant -- and to all Ms haters - it shows how good an old OS was -- an OS probably costing in todays valuation less than 70 USD can run a SAW mill where the machinery costs several 1000 times that.

I really think that XP is still probably MORE than enough compute power for 90% of "the great unwashed" out there who don't really do anything with a PC other than to surf the net, do a few spread sheets / office documents, spend a lot of time on sites like "Farcebook" , watch a movie or too or just plain email.

If we forget things like drivers and specialized users who are into gaming or sophisticated calculations or intensive video applications -- how many people on this Forum can say they actually NEED an upgrade from XP (assuming all the hardware would still work). Remember there was also a very capable XP 64 bit edition released too but not many people knew about that.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[CountMike]

Not rally everywhere "Cray like" speed is needed, my favorite micro controller, Omron C20 and C40 was i 4bit and run at "speed" of few MHz and yet had 24/48 inputs, 24/48 real outputs and 125/255 virtual timers. Used it instead of I cant even remember how many mechanical relays to control 6 spindle vertical lathe of 50 tons. A computer lesser than average smartphone took Apollo 11 to the moon. It's how you use it not how big it is.

 

[fafhrd]

The last products released based on XP core technology are the Windows Embedded Standard 2009, and the Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 operating systems, with lifecycle support until January and April 2019 respectively.

As these products will continue to receive updates for another ~5 years, and hacks have already appeared to enable mainstream XP systems to receive these updates as if they were the supported products, some XP users will feel comfortable as they squeeze the last drops of life from their old systems for a few more years yet.

I have not heard of any disasters overwhelming the post-support XP community yet.

 

[Rxd]

Yea, the so called XPocalipse was a complete dud. Who didn't see that coming? Microsoft trying to panic people into dumping their XP computers to boost the sales of its latest dog.

 

[savvy]

easy
when ever one is full virus infected and even God him self can't fix it.
bam.
gone.
most XP , will self infect over the internet,before you even finish the install.. its pathetic... (sure unplug it)

 

[hawkman]

xp is not dead 3 yrs+

MANY governments and conglomerates have enterred into agreements with MS to extend the life of XP,(including security updates) even ordinary any day users can access these XP updates that are not officially announced.

If you know where/how to get them

I DO

Roy

 

[popeye]

MANY governments and conglomerates have enterred into agreements with MS to extend the life of XP,(including security updates) even ordinary any day users can access these XP updates that are not officially announced.

If you know where/how to get them

I DO

Roy

There are A LOT of access security and HVAC control systems that still use XP that are on closed internal networks.

 

[CountMike]

Heck, I can still see NT 4 /4.5 servers running, our Post office is still using it internally. I was watching an interview with an elderly lady doctor on TV and there was Win 98 happily ticking in the background.

 

[alphanumeric]

My cable box is running XP Embedded.

 

[jimbo45]

Yea, the so called XPocalipse was a complete dud. Who didn't see that coming? Microsoft trying to panic people into dumping their XP computers to boost the sales of its latest dog.

Hi there

Reminds me of the old "Millennium" or Y2K scare -- people said planes would fall out of the sky or cars wouldn't start - or all sorts of other horrors. I remember a load of people in the I.T biz were getting 1,000 USD a day back then (that's probably around 1700 USD a day in todays money) for doing a lot of basically very trivial work or sitting around doing nothing but just waiting for something to happen (I think in U.S "Manager speak" it's called being "Event driven" !!).

Nowadays I know colleagues in the very same industry doing much more sophisticated stuff often extremely technical and are lucky if they get paid 30 GBP an hour (around 45 USD an hour or around 360 USD a day -- actually about the same as a typical office "permie" worker would get paid and about HALF of what an I.T "permie" earns (those that are left or haven't been outsourced to India etc).

So I neither believe in these Doomsday Scenarios or in people advising youngsters to go into things like I.T because that's where the money is any more. You just look at all the realistic scenarios and make YOUR OWN choice.

Actually in most places I've been to your PLUMBER now earns even more than some Medical doctors who themselves are pretty high earners -- and plumbing is always needed. !! Very few schools even MENTION plumbing as a possible high wage possibility (and you can't off shore all the plumbers either !!).

So don't believe that your XP machine will be riddled with Viruses today, tomorrow or even next year --If you LIKE XP and it works keep using it. You are not likely to get any viruses if you just use your machine intelligently.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[johny]

XP is perfect for virtual machine on osx and linux. It's very light and fast.