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Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

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Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#51

Post by ck2 »

eli wrote: post #50
ck2 wrote: post #43

I'm one of those people unfortunately. XP was all I needed for a decade. My firewall which has thousands of rules does not work with anything newer and other firewalls suck today, very badly. I have many many programs which are licensed and I do not want to have to try to find the key for each one again, heck find the program again, only to find out it doesn't work beyond XP. XP was just a launching UI for me, really…

My guess is that someone will step up and continue to create patches for XP, because you're in a pretty big boat. But if I were you, I'd switch to a newer OS and run the whole XP box in a VM (note you may run into some MS licensing issues setting this up). Then at least you can slowly start migrating and at least your "main" hypervisor OS will be fully patched. Doesn't help you with the firewall, though.

What blows my mind is that XP still needs constant, serious security patches after 12 years. Think about that.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#52

Post by jodrellblank »

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #44
nightski wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you really believe there is any sort of significant demand for XP? Maybe you could make an argument for 7, but really the almost 13 year old Windows XP?

Hey, look, there's a link to an article up there! Let's read it together: "Currently, the more than a decade old OS still has a market share of 29.53%." Wow!

"Market: the state of trade at a particular time or in a particular context" - Google definition.

29% of operating systems sold today are XP?

29% of computers sold today are running XP?

When the article says "market share" I think that's misleading, there's no money or trade involved in people using an old thing. It's more indicative that such people are not willing to spend money on computing, than indicative that they are willing to spend money to stay where they are.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#53

Post by brudgers »

shmerl wrote: post #34
brudgers wrote: post #4

Many XP systems cannot be upgraded to another version of Windows, at least officially the hardware isn't adequate. On the other hand there was a huge opportunity to switch these systems to Linux if there had been a savvy distro with a little cash and a business model. But I fear that bus has left the station.

Not only that, a lot of times that hardware simply has no drivers for newer Windows! Linux indeed often works much better to address this (usually this happens with laptops). I installed Linux for quite a few people in such situation.

I have a Toshiba Satellite 1805 laptop that I bought in August 2001. It runs Linux (Wary Puppy 5.5). It's that or Winodes 2000 [or the ME it shipped with] because XP ties itself to specific hardware.

It's a handy third screen.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#54

Post by ams6110 »

ck2 wrote: post #51
eli wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is that someone will step up and continue to create patches for XP, because you're in a pretty big boat. But if I were you, I'd switch to a newer OS and run the whole XP box in a VM (note you may run into some MS licensing issues setting this up). Then at least you can slowly start migrating and at least your "main" hypervisor OS will be fully patched. Doesn't help you with the firewall, though.

What blows my mind is that XP still needs constant, serious security patches after 12 years. Think about that.

I see constant security patches for Linux and associated userland, pretty much monthly also.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#55

Post by ams6110 »

Guvante wrote: post #32
Touche wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> User demand? You mean the people saying "develop and give us free updates forever because we don't want to pay you for Windows new edition"? Yep, those people. > So... where did Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1 come from, if not "interest in developing Windows"? Not developing the XP branch, that people are still interested in (as this article demonstrates).

Is anyone honestly using Windows XP because they don't like any of the more recent versions? Or do they just not want to pay? Customers not wanting to pay is not a good reason to open source your product.

It's not that I don't like Windows 7, it just offers no additional value for the things I do with a computer.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#56

Post by TheSurge »

ck2 wrote: post #51
eli wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is that someone will step up and continue to create patches for XP, because you're in a pretty big boat. But if I were you, I'd switch to a newer OS and run the whole XP box in a VM (note you may run into some MS licensing issues setting this up). Then at least you can slowly start migrating and at least your "main" hypervisor OS will be fully patched. Doesn't help you with the firewall, though.

What blows my mind is that XP still needs constant, serious security patches after 12 years. Think about that.

It's not because the software is necessarily "insecure", it's just because new ways of getting around protections are found every day. Plus, look at how much the technology landscape has changed since XP was introduced in 2001.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#57

Post by bunderbunder »

Touche wrote: post #24
jodrellblank wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

User demand? You mean the people saying "develop and give us free updates forever because we don't want to pay you for Windows new edition"? They have no interest in developing it So... where did Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1 come from, if not "interest in developing Windows"?

> User demand? You mean the people saying "develop and give us free updates forever because we don't want to pay you for Windows new edition"? Yep, those people. > So... where did Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1 come from, if not "interest in developing Windows"? Not developing the XP branch, that people are still interested in (as this article demonstrates).

Windows Vista, 7, and 8 are all further developments in the XP branch.

There's also the Windows Server branch, which is also being actively developed.

The only branch that hasn't been developed is the one where Windows ME is the most recent version.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#58

Post by skc »

eli wrote: post #2

Uh, ATMs use Windows XP Embedded, which isn't really the same thing and is not at EOL. Microsoft said they'll support Embedded at least until 2016.

Funny enough, Diebold, one of the leaders in ATM manufacturing and ATM software, use Windows 7 for their latest ATM's. I know because my current gig is customizing the software for a very large South African bank.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#59

Post by coreymgilmore »

DougWebb wrote: post #33
TheSurge wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't either, but not just because the the bugs. The whole focus on tablets and touch screens is a big turn off to most businesses I would think. Even though Microsoft is finally considering switching 8 to more of a classic style, I think it's too late for that.

It's not too late at all. Microsoft has had a number of "skip this version" Windows versions, and the subseqent release has done well. WinXP did well despite WinME, Win7 has done well despite Vista, and Win8.1 or Win9 will probably do well despite Win8.

I do see your point...MS has had a hit-then-miss trend of OS's over the last few iterations. But my general thought is that 7 is just too good (in general, and as an alternative) to 8.x/9.

Re: Despite Attempts to Get Users To Upgrade From XP, 30% Still Use It

#60

Post by nightski »

Touche wrote: post #26
nightski wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you really believe there is any sort of significant demand for XP? Maybe you could make an argument for 7, but really the almost 13 year old Windows XP?

> Do you really believe there is any sort of significant demand for XP? Well, I RTFA, so yeah, I do.

Just because there is a large existing installed base does not imply demand for new installs. If you were able to start a business selling XP, I'd say you would have a difficult time.
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