As of July 1, 2008, the only copy of Windows XP you can legally buy is one that’s still on a store shelf. On June 30, 2008, Microsoft will stop offering OEM and shrink wrap versions of this operating system. Six months later, Dell and Hewlett Packard, as well as the lesser-known setups of this world, won’t be able to ship Windows XP on new PCs. Officially, the big guys have stopped promoting this operating system, but after the insistence of many of their most important accounts, they quietly succumbed to the pressure. As of January 1, 2009, they will no longer be able to sell a computer with Windows XP.
Windows XP is Microsoft’s best operating system to date. It is stable, fast, nice and easy to use. Before Windows XP, Microsoft was associated with the ability to design a better product than the previous one. In turn, users would voluntarily upgrade their operating systems for the benefit of both the user and Microsoft. This time, many people feel that Vista is not an improvement on the version it is intended to replace. In fact, some have called Windows Vista an optional upgrade to Windows XP. If Windows Vista doesn’t make it to the podium, Microsoft will earn a few billion less than shareholders expect, and that wouldn’t be good for Microsoft. The only way to get those dollars flowing would be to forcefully remove Windows XP and what better way to do that than to make it unavailable?
Vista is already costing Microsoft on other fronts. A class action lawsuit is underway against Microsoft over the “Vista compatible” decals. The lawsuit claims that Microsoft had authorized original equipment manufacturers to place the “Vista compatible” stickers on their Windows XP machines before Vista was officially released. It turned out that these PCs did not have enough computing power to run Vista Premium and could only manage Vista Home. People liking their Windows XP computer is something Microsoft definitely doesn’t want.
The reasons why I want to have the option to buy Windows XP legally are the following:
- I find Windows Vista to be the paranoid aunt that requires you to take an oath on the Bible, Qur’an, or equivalent before performing many basic and frequently used tasks. Multiple prompts to do something simple is not okay for me. My Windows XP security solutions serve me well on this front, and I don’t need the operating system to protect me from security weaknesses it tolerated in the first place.
- Windows XP is a terribly reliable operating system, which works well in both workgroup and domain scenarios. Windows Vista performs above average when configured as a workgroup, but below average if the computer is part of the domain. This is still true even after SP1. For example, I have two identical Asus computers and to date I can’t figure out why the one running Vista freezes periodically. For anyone who may be wondering, I’ve completely changed the hardware and the problem still exists.
- Windows Vista is a resource-hogging operating system. I was there when Windows 3.0 came out. During that time, upgrading to Windows 3.0 from MS-Dos was well worth the additional hardware expense and inconvenience; this time I don’t feel like it is. Why do I have to patronize Microsoft’s inefficient coding? Why should I have to relive a time when doing anything on a computer is excruciatingly slow for no perceived or real gain?
- It seems unfair to me that Microsoft has decided that everyone should have semi-transparent windows and the next generation of animated icons, desktop gadgets, quick menus and other things, regardless of whether they need or want them. Also, one can get many of these niceties for free, shareware, and commercially for Windows XP.
- A considerable amount of my current software will not work with Windows Vista. Why should I throw away my investment?
- Since the hardware drivers in Windows Vista are different from those in Windows XP, the likelihood that your existing hardware will work on the new operating system is low. Like software vendors, many hardware vendors have learned that they will increase their sales if they don’t provide hardware drivers for newer operating systems, forcing consumers to pay for something they don’t really need. Why should anyone have to donate functional equipment to a landfill to add more plastic and metal to the environment?
- Upgrading to Windows Vista is anything but cheap.
Some might argue that no one is stopping me from keeping my Windows XP and that I could use it until hell freezes over. This is not correct because by the time Windows XP is no longer available for purchase, I can’t buy Windows XP for a new computer even if I wanted to. My fully functional homogeneous network running Windows XP computers will start producing Vista machines with all their problems and inefficiencies. For a reasonably short period of time, satisfied users will complain about problems and quirks that they missed when their computers started running Windows XP.
If you’re making the debatable assumption that keeping Windows XP available isn’t profitable for Microsoft, there are plenty of alternatives out there that would make everyone happy:
- Provide Windows XP in electronic format only. Have a page at http://www.microsoft.com where the software can be downloaded and a key purchased. In this scenario, Microsoft retains full control.
- Put the binary in the public domain, which allows sites to charge for the media or use technologies like bit torrenting to distribute downloads while retaining the key generation mechanisms at Microsoft.
- Pass both the binary and the license mechanism to a third party. Microsoft would strike a profitable deal without having to manage operating system and licensing issues.
Windows XP sports a visual design that combines a sleek look, clean lines, and attractive colors with task-oriented design and exceptionally streamlined navigation. I didn’t stick with it, Microsoft does it on one of the Windows XP setup screens. All I’m asking is the chance to keep it until you decide it’s worth upgrading to Vista.