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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
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Can you see yourself running Windows XP in 2014?

By | April 26, 2008, 3:11am PDT

Summary: Will you still be running XP in 2014?

Time for a quick poll …

From a support point of view, Windows XP still has a lot of life left in it. Mainstream Support will be available until April 14, 2009 and Extended Support until April 8, 2014.

So, here’s my question - Can you see yourself running XP in 2014?

Poll

Can you see yourself running XP in 2014?

Personally, I think I’ll still be running XP in a limited sense, but I’m fast migrating Windows boxes over to Vista now because the more I handle XP and Vista together, the more I’m liking Vista and the more I’m hating XP. Also, with Mac OS and Linux to think about, administrating one Windows version is a lot less hassle than two.

Thoughts?

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Topics

Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating Systems, Software, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

Talkback Most Recent of 136 Talkback(s)

  • By then, "Windows 7" will be released.
    By then, Windows 7 will be released, and we'll all be saying how great Vista was and whine to Microsoft to keep supporting it, saying it's their best OS ever, and how Windows 7 is a total piece of junk.

    In other words the XP vs Vista war will play itself out in Vista vs Windows 7. History will repeat itself, like it has in every other OS.

    XP used to suck at one time: I remember people complaining especially about how much extra hardware was needed for the new fancy "Luna" theme. It's only because it's been out for years that it's considered so stable and supported by so much hardware.

    I am currently using Vista (Business 64 bit), and my parents are currently using XP. I imagine they will stay with XP for at least another year or two. By 2014, however, I'm sure they'll have Vista, and I'll have Windows 7.

    In fact, by 2014, I'm pretty sure there will be lots of news about the development of the next version of Windows after Windows 7, whatever that will be. XP will pretty much be long dead by 2014, and Vista will be the accepted OS of choice, with Windows 7 being the new kid on the block.

    I'm confident that history will repeat itself again, like it has every time with new OSes.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    CobraA1
    26th Apr 2008
  • Only on the consumer side......
    Over 95% of business users will need nothing more than basic Office functions, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, etc...

    ALmost all businesses have a 4-5 year replacement cycle for PC's. WinXP does what these users need right now. The added costs of hardware upgrades for Vista, Vista's cost, the cost of upgrading systems to Vista, and re-training of users, are cost prohibitive and will force businesses to keep WinXP as long as possible, or force the move to linux. If I'm not imaging systems to WinXP, I'm installing linux and OpenOffice on those boxes.

    Even now, almost every system that arrives at a business customer, is re-imaged to WinXP. Businesses have custom apps that don't work on Vista, and until recoded and tested, Vista will not get to the floor.

    Microsoft's lastest numbers show that this is occuring. There simply is no reason for most business customers to move to Vista. OEM's, such as Dell, have announced that they will continue to supply XP.

    No....WinXP is here to stay for a long time.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    linux for me
    26th Apr 2008
  • Businesses are staying with Windows XP...
    ...primarily because they have legacy software that may not be compatible with Vista.

    All this talk about hardware upgrade costs, retraining costs, etc is all BS. I'm not aware of any business that upgrades their hardware solely in order to use a new operating system.

    As for training why do Mac and Linux advocates ignore the retraining costs associated with switching to a completely different platform? While there will be some adjustment to Vista it's unlikely to be nearly as much as to completely different platform.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    ye
    26th Apr 2008
  • You just made my point
    I'm not aware of any business that upgrades their hardware solely in order to use a new operating system. [-i]

    Exactly! Hardware isn't bought or upgraded because Vista needs it, and new systems are imaged with XP. Those are the facts I stated above, and you just agreed to!

    And training cost for OpenOffice are a lot less than Office 2007. My wife and step-son use OpenOffice on their linux systems and I didn't have to show them a thing. Changing to Vista and Office 2007 is much harder than linux and Openoffice.

    I keep very buay updating Vista system to XP or more often converting them to linux. Where I stand, XP will be here a long time.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    linux for me
    26th Apr 2008
  • How did I make your point?
    "Exactly! Hardware isn't bought or upgraded because Vista needs it, and new systems are imaged with XP. Those are the facts I stated above, and you just agreed to!"

    I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. Can you please elaborate?
    ZDNet Gravatar
    ye
    26th Apr 2008
  • re: Businesses are staying
    Businesses are staying with Windows XP...
    ...primarily because they have legacy software that may not be compatible with Vista.

    Exactly. Though we should have our ERP system upgraded by year end to a version with a Vista compatible client and we will begin to migrate. I imagine other businesses are in a similar situation.

    It's not really a big deal, we'll just hold off on PC purchases until then.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Badgered
    29th Apr 2008
  • If it works...
    then don't fix it.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    pkrdk
    30th Apr 2008
  • Might stay with punched cards for DP.
    (Tongue in cheek)
    In the "Good Ole' days" businesses processed data using machines that read cards that had holes punched in them.
    There were no "Virus" problem. And heck! The operators only had to know how to feed the little critters ie, cards into the machines.

    I often wonder if there are any businesses (besides the government) that still use this method.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    GRANDBRADY
    30th Jun 2008
  • Did you forget to read the title of the article?
    "Over 95% of business users will need nothing more than basic Office functions, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, etc..."

    Microsoft had software that could do all of that since the days of Windows 3. How many businesses do you know of still use Windows 3 or Word 2?

    It may take a bit longer than the average consumer, but yes, eventually businesses will make the switch.

    "ALmost all businesses have a 4-5 year replacement cycle for PC's."

    2014-2008=6, which is longer than your replacement estimate.

    I learned basic subtraction at a very young age. Did you even bother to read the title of Adrian's article??

    "No....WinXP is here to stay for a long time."

    A long time is not equivalent to forever. Adrian is talking about six years from now, not one or two.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    CobraA1
    26th Apr 2008
  • Office 97
    Had a customer paid us to upgrade Win 98 SE systems 2 yrs ago ... but they kept Office 97 SBE ....

    something about tracking doc changes they liked better than O2k3

    Go figure ....
    ZDNet Gravatar
    cammobus@...
    28th Apr 2008
  • Wait a minute ...
    You said...

    "Even now, almost every system that arrives at a business customer, is re-imaged to WinXP. Businesses have custom apps that don't work on Vista, and until recoded and tested, Vista will not get to the floor."

    But this is only true in the enterprise. These folks started their Vista testing in early 2007. Yes, they started-out down-grading while they tested their applications but by the end of 2008, most in the enterprise are on a three-year lifecycle but even those on a five-year life-cycle will have replace 40% of their workstations and the other 60% will need no more than a RAM upgrade to run Vista. By the end of the year, most in the enterprise will have begun their upgrades to Vista and the rest will upgrade by then end of 2009. If they wait for Windows "7" -- the transition will be just as painful.

    Now small business can wait longer but they will use whatever OS is on their systems because they don't have the expertise to downgrade.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    mwagner@...
    29th Apr 2008
  • Apps that don't work in Vista
    "But this is only true in the enterprise."
    My wife works at home doing Medical Transcription and she has software that will not migrate. I have downgraded some systems that people bought and then didn't support their software.
    It affects more people than enterprise. The problem remains the same. Either downgrade of they maybe be able to put out more money to get updated software. In my wifes case there are some she cant upgrade.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Endoscopy
    1st May 2008
  • By 2014, think Windows 8...
    I am currently using Vista (Business 64 bit), and my parents are currently using XP. I imagine they will stay with XP for at least another year or two. By 2014, however, I'm sure they'll have Vista, and I'll have Windows 7.

    If Microsoft manages to stay on track with major Windows releases, by 2014, we should be expecting Windows 8 (or whatever they're gonna call the successor to Windows 7) with a lot of talk on the beta of Windows 9.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Wolfie2K3
    29th Apr 2008
  • XP - Vista - Windows 7
    I'm not a computer expert, only a novice, but if I had my 'druthers, I'd still be using Windows 98si. I have barely been able to learn the changes in XP, and do not have a PC that can even handle Vista (which, after seeing it and attempting to use, would have to give up using a PC because Vista makes no sense to me). Even if I could understand it, I would have to replace EVERYTHING I use with my computer bercause none of my hardware is compatable with Vista, they are that old and working just fine. So yes, I will remain with XP for as long as I can keep it running (with the help of my computer expert son). Ater that, I may be forced to return to using the telephone and pen and paper.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Tuggerofhearts
    30th Jun 2008
  • Most likely, Windows7
    I'm on XP now but I certainly understand that I'm using an OS that is the equivalent of a hairball bound by bailing wire and duct tape.

    Having said that, it works for what I'm doing now. By 2012, I am most likely on Windows 7 - finally running a 64bit OS.

    Anyone running WindowsXP then would most likely be in a virtual environment to maintain any 16bit or legacy apps much like there are Windows 3.1 users today.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Prognosticator
    26th Apr 2008
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