The days of Windows XP are drawing to a close as from today, the 1st anniversary of the launch of Windows 7, Microsoft will not allow any more new PCs to come pre-loaded with the venerable old operating system.
Netbooks were the very last category to be allowed to carry XP, as reported today by Mary-Jo Foley, but back in 2008, Microsoft told OEM partners that the 22nd October would be the final curtain call.
Windows XP, released in 2001, has in recent years become a thorn in both the sides of Microsoft and businesses. Firstly for it’s woefully inadequate security, but also because users became so familiar and comfortable with it that weaning people off it has become difficult.
Windows 7 in its first year has sold 240 million licences and the demise of XP, which so long as you have service pack 3 installed will continue to be supported for a long while yet, can only help sell more copies of Microsoft’s latest and greatest.
Recently though, Microsoft have begun releasing software that makes use of hardware acceleration that was only introduced with Vista, and as such new software such as the Live Essentials 2011 suite and Internet Explorer 9, won’t run at all on XP.
So now we can finally begin to say goodbye to what has, for many become an old friend with it’s Tellytubby wallpaper and cartoon icons. The same people though will probably not miss XP for all its many failings.
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