Microsoft warns users off Windows XP

Microsoft has warned the many millions of users of Windows XP that it now has fewer than 1,000 days of support left.

While that still means more than two-and-a-half years before businesses and users will need to upgrade, many have been slow to do so. Net Applications shows XP still holds a 51% share, compared to 27% for Windows 7.

From 8 April 2014, Microsoft will no longer issue security patches or hotfixes for the ageing OS. “So bottom line, PCs running Windows XP will be vulnerable to security threats,” wrote Stephen Rose, community manager, in a post on the Windows blog.

PCs running Windows XP will be vulnerable to security threats

“Furthermore, many third-party software providers are not planning to extend support for their applications running on Windows XP, which translates to even more complexity, security risks, and ultimately, added management costs for your IT department if you’re still managing Windows XP environments,” he added.

Of course, Microsoft is hoping businesses in particular upgrade to Windows 7, which CEO Steve Ballmer said has sold 400 million licenses so far.

However, as one commenter on the post noted: “three years is a long time.”

“I will upgrade all my PCs from XP 32-bit and XP x64 to the version of Windows that comes out in 2015 following Windows 8, and that too out of compulsion and because XP won’t receive any security updates,” he noted, suggesting Windows 7 isn’t enough of a draw for some users.