UPDATED: Microsoft Extends XP Life to 2020 and Releases Windows 7 SP1 Beta

[Paul Keith]

This isn’t just willy nilly available for everybody. It’s only available for OEM licenses for Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate. The timing (though who knows what the heck computing will look like in 2020) is timed to the projected end of life cycle of Windows 7. Deadlines in 2010 and 2011 for when OEMs can stop selling PCs with XP or Vista installed are still in effect and keep in mind that Microsoft is scheduled to stop supporting XP in 2014.

Microsoft extends XP life to 2020 and release W7 Sp1B

from Kathy Jacobs' Amplify

[tomos]

"Microsoft Extends XP Life to 2020" is a bit misleading. It's a downgrade option from Windows 7 that is extended
Read the source article for more info http://windowsteambl...-service-pack-1.aspx

Customers who purchase Windows 7 PCs with end user downgrade rights as provided in the software license terms (EULA) will be able to downgrade to Windows XP Professional on those PCs for the life of the PC. [there's more to that too...]

Extended support of XP will still end April 2014 - anyone know, does that mean no more updates after that time as well?

[Josh]

Source

Looks like they will not be, security or otherwise.

17. What is the Security Update policy?

Microsoft has not changed its Security Update policy:

Business and Development software

Security updates will be available through the end of the Extended Support phase (five years of Mainstream Support plus five years of the Extended Support) at no additional cost for most products. Security updates will be posted on the Microsoft Update Web site during both the Mainstream and the Extended Support phase.

Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products

Security updates will be available through the end of the Mainstream Support phase.

-Paragraph 17

[40hz]

I will have absolutely zero sympathy for any individual, organization, or business that takes Microsoft up on it and gets burned security-wise down the road.

Everybody bitched about the intrinsic security flaws in XP. Microsoft improved matters and now people are still dragging their feet about switching to Win7 - even if it means buying all their new machines with 7 and 'downgrading' them.

I can understand not wanting to replace an entire PC farm, or have to upgrade one's entire inventory of old hardware to make it work acceptably with the 'new' Windows. But with new PCs shipping with nothing but as their standard build it's high time for whoever plans on sticking with Microsoft to start seriously considering "gettin' with the program" come their next new machine.

(Note: the following is more a comment about and to the people that provide tech support for a living like I do.)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Switching over does entail some training and support issues and cost. I know because I straddle the fence providing support for XP and Win7. But from what I've seen, the average user catches onto Windows 7 and the new Office suite pretty quickly. So most of the arguments being advanced for taking a "wait and see" attitude are more a case of our fellow ITers doing a CYA move. That or just being lazy IMHO.

And yes...rolling out Win7/Office2k10 is a royal PITA from an IT support perspective. But we shoukl also try to remember it's exactly that sort of thing we (supposedly) get paid to help people out with.

Just my 2¢  

[cmpm]

A good reason to not like Microsoft is their own eula.
As well as strong arming expensive upgrades.

Fortunately I think most do not rely on MS for security.

MS Windows looks more and more like a subscription service.
Or organized crime.

[40hz]

^very good point.  If the big players have their way it will all go over to web-basedor subscription business models. You can already see it with 90% if the new startups. As far as most tech businesses are concerned, the era of "open" anything along with non-proprietary "standards" is over and done with. 

Thank goodness there's at least the BSD/Linux alternative if you still want locally installed apps and ownership of your desktop.