Posted on 04/14/2008 6:23:53 AM PDT by Red Badger
Microsoft Corp.'s operating systems run most personal computers around the globe and are a cash cow for the world's largest software maker. But you'd never confuse a Windows user with the passionate fans of Mac OS X or even the free Linux operating system. Unless it's someone running Windows XP, a version Microsoft wants to retire.
Fans of the six-year-old operating system set to be pulled off store shelves in June have papered the Internet with blog posts, cartoons and petitions recently. They trumpet its superiority to Windows Vista, Microsoft's latest PC operating system, whose consumer launch last January was greeted with lukewarm reviews.
No matter how hard Microsoft works to persuade people to embrace Vista, some just can't be wowed. They complain about Vista's hefty hardware requirements, its less-than-peppy performance, occasional incompatibility with other programs and devices and frequent, irritating security pop-up windows.
For them, the impending disappearance of XP computers from retailers, and the phased withdrawal of technical support in coming years, is causing a minor panic.
Take, for instance, Galen Gruman. A longtime technology journalist, Gruman is more accustomed to writing about trends than starting them.
But after talking to Windows users for months, he realized his distaste for Vista and strong attachment to XP were widespread.
"It sort of hit us that, wait a minute, XP will be gone as of June 30. What are we going to do?" he said. "If no one does something, it's going to be gone."
So Gruman started a Save XP Web petition, gathering since January more than 100,000 signatures and thousands of comments, mostly from die-hard XP users who want Microsoft to keep selling it until the next version of Windows is released, currently targeted for 2010.
On the petition site's comments section, some users proclaimed they will downgrade from Vista to XP - an option available in the past to businesses, but now open for the first time to consumers who buy Vista Ultimate or Business editions - if they need to buy a new computer after XP goes off the market.
Others used the comments section to rail against the very idea that Microsoft has the power to enforce the phase-out from a stable, decent product to one that many consider worse, while profiting from the move. Many threatened to leave Windows for Apple or Linux machines.
Microsoft already extended the XP deadline once, but it shows no signs it will do so again. The company has declined to meet with Gruman to consider the petition. Microsoft is aware of the petition, it said in a statement to The Associated Press, and "will continue to be guided by feedback we hear from partners and customers about what makes sense based on their needs."
Gruman said he'd keep pressing for a meeting.
"They really believe if they just close their eyes, people will have no choice," he said.
In fact, most people who get a new computer will end up with Vista. In 2008, 94 percent of new Windows machines for consumers worldwide will run Vista, forecasts industry research group IDC. For businesses, about 75 percent of new PCs will have Vista. (That figure takes into account companies that choose to downgrade to XP.)
Although Microsoft may not budge on selling new copies of XP, it may have to extend support for it.
Al Gillen, an IDC analyst, estimated that at the end of 2008 nearly 60 percent of consumer PCs and almost 70 percent of business PCs worldwide will still run XP. Microsoft plans to end full support - including warranty claims and free help with problems - in April 2009. The company will continue providing a more limited level of service until April 2014.
Gillen said efforts like Gruman's grass-roots petition may not influence the software maker, but business customers' demands should carry more clout.
"You really can't make 69 percent of your installed base unhappy with you," he said.
Some companies - such as Wells Manufacturing Co. in Woodstock, Ill. - are crossing their fingers that he's right. The company, which melts scrap steel and casts iron bars, has 200 PCs that run Windows 2000 or XP. (Windows 2000 is no longer sold on PCs. Mainstream support has ended, but limited support is available through the middle of 2010.)
Wells usually replaces 50 of its PCs every 18 months. In the most recent round of purchases, Chief Information Officer Lou Peterhans said, the company stuck with XP because several of its applications don't run well on Vista.
"There is no strong reason to go to Vista, other than eventually losing support for XP," he said. Peterhans added that the company isn't planning to bring in Vista computers for 18 months to two years. If Microsoft keeps to its current timetable, its next operating system, code-named Windows 7, will be on the market by then.
---
On the Net:
Save XP Petition: http://weblog.infoworld.com/save-xp/
Microsoft's Windows support timeline: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy
~~~~~~~~~~
LOL!! And my panties will get wadded up while going the way of your luggage!! ROFLOL!!!
Seriesly, mad_as_he$$, I have no idea what you are talking about. I'm on my 11th Apple computer, and, until this month, all my printers were hard-wired (or , at least wire-networked) -- and, I've never had one "disappear"...
Are you sure you're not confusing "Mac" (the computer) with "MAC address"? If it is not Apple's fault, whose fault is it -- the printer driver's?
You've got me going on this one. I write custom 3-D graphic data-visualization software for archaeologists on the Mac - and I've never heard of "disappearing printers"... What gives?
Sorry, my bad, I should have said ‘previous 12 year court case’. After such a lengthy ‘trial’, I too would have been leery of starting a new entry for the potential domination of the PC market. Thanks for the catch!
Necessary policy, supporting software is expensive. Do you think MS should be supporting DOS 3.1? Everything needs to get end of lifed eventually, appliances use years, cars use years or miles, software uses replacement versions.
After you put XP on your new one, copy all your files from the old hard drive to the newer hard drive. Don't forget your Favorites! It might even be a good idea to run Microsoft Backup on your old drive and keep the .bkf file in a safe location just in case.
After you transfer over all the files, format the old drive and use it as extra space for files that you don't really need on a consistent basis.
Freepmail me if you have any questions.
Yes, I know that, and for that reason I wonder why Linux does not handle printers as well as Mac OS. At least I am assuming that compatibility issues do not plague Mac OS as they do Linux. However, I did finally achieve some success -- I borrowed an old HP Laserjet 6P (parallel cable interface) and Ubuntu recognized it and printed just fine. It's a shame Linux can't handle all printers the way Windows can. Sure, I could buy an Apple, but the allure of free open source software is very strong.
I have never "lost" a printer on any of my Macs... and also none of the Macs in any of the Mac networks I administer have every "lost" a printer. None. None of my friends or family who own Macs have lost printers.
There is a very small number of very vocal Mac users who have had an issue ... most likely with the USB hubs or a specific printer they are using.
Good for you. There's many more people who have tried Linux on the desktop and ditched it than they have current users now. The ones that stick with it are usually the ones who strongly support the "copyleft" movement, and make their fundamental software decisions or preferences based on that alone. Else most of them would have ditched it by now too.
What allure? The goal of seeing the US titans of the software industry replaced by free clones often coming from questionable sources from around the globe? Replace every Bill Gates with a Linus Torvalds, and every Steve Jobs with a Richard Stallman?
Having free alternatives to monopolistic, predatory, manipulative (ever hear of FUD?), proprietary operating systems companies. While I don't wish to see American companies be replaced, I don't like being limited in choices, either.
questionable sources
That's the beauty of open software. The source code is freely available for inspection. I don't care who wrote the code if it works and has reviewed. Have you seen any Microsoft source code lately?
People seem to think the Windows XP will become instantly obsolete and unusable on 6/30/2008. That’s assertion is disingenuous, I know people who are still running Windows 98 and 2000. I WILL NOT buy Vista. When XP becomes unworkable, which will take a good while, I’ll look at other options such as Linux.
We had Mac at my work in 2003-2004 and it was an utter disaster. Macs don’t crash, eh?! OS X crashed more often then it was up and it SUCKS. It was so unworkable we switched to Windows XP and it’s been a billion times better.
If Microsoft in any way kills XP without producing an OS worth a grain of salt, I’ll be a Mac guy. I can easily do my work on a mac.
It's my all time favorite operating system!
Believe it or not, WE still have a copy on a single computer (386sx 10 MHz) here at work! It still comes in handy for a few things!..........
If MS would just do what they say they are going to do, it would be a vast improvement. Remember Vista was supposed to be “bulletproof” when it comes to security, but now it seems they just did away with the XP security holes and added a whole bunch of new ones to take their places.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.