SO this gives XP close to 20 years, not bad for a technology product.

The support for XP SP2 ceasing recently barely seemed to raise a wimper online, however I believe XP SP3 users will try hang on for a while longer.

WoW ! will Microsoft ever be able to get rid of XP ?

In my opinion that depend of Windows 7 success in the future, but it's hard to say anything after Microsofts fiasco with Vista...




 

In an unusual move from Microsoft, the software giant announced that it will allow downgrade rights from Windows 7 to Windows XP Professional right up until 2020.

Microsoft originally stated that users could downgrade to Windows XP 18 months after the debut of Windows 7, or until Windows 7 SP1, which is just around the corner. However, the company changed its mind once again, offering customers the chance to downgrade from Windows 7 to Windows XP Professional until 2020, the entire lifecycle of Windows 7.

Any computer pre-installed with Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate editions will allow the downgrade to similar versions of Vista and XP, until Windows 7 lifecycle is discontinued in 2020. The decision to extend the downgrade rights comes the day before Windows XP SP2 support is officially ended.

“Our business customers have told us that the removing end-user downgrade rights to Windows XP Professional could be confusing,” said Brandon LeBlanc from The Windows Blog: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2010/07/12/public-beta-now-available-for-windows-7-and-windows-server-2008-r2-service-pack-1.aspx

Retailers are still able to sell boxed versions of Windows Vista up until October 22, 2010, one full year after the release of Windows 7, and PCs preinstalled with Vista up until October 22, 2011.

(NW)