R.I.P Microsoft Windows XP

June 30 isn’t just the date the financial year winds up, it’s also the day that PC makers will no longer be able to sell you Windows XP.

June 30 isn’t just the day the financial year winds up, it’s also the day that PC makers will no longer be able to sell you Windows XP…

Retailers will also only have until their current supply runs out to sell boxed copies of the Operating System.

With Vista causing chagrin amongst many PC users, the demise of XP has been lamented the world over. There was even a ‘Save XP’ petition. Nonetheless Microsoft could not be persuaded to keep the OS alive and XP will be phased out.

However, the death knell isn’t as final as we think… XP will still be available on PCs from smaller computer makers until January 31 2009 and on ultra low cost PCs until June 30 2010.

To get around the XP no man’s land, some computer manufacturers are offering Windows Vista Ultimate with downgradable rights. Whilst a costly solution – machines can later be upgraded to Vista at no cost…

Support for XP will continue until 2009, with extended support until April 2014.