When MS discontinues XP support. . .?

[atarileaf]

I have a question and forgive me if its something that should be considered common knowledge but I got to thinking about the lifecycle of MS operating systems.

Now, I own a copy of win98 that I install on older systems and even though MS officially discontinued support of 98 last summer I can still use the system for some everyday tasks.

Now, with Vista out, the clock is officially ticking on XP and someday down the road, MS will officially discontinue support of XP. The difference now is that with XP, it has to be activated after you load it or after 30 days you can't use it anymore. You'd have to start over with a fresh install again.

So my question is, when that day comes, will XP be absolutely worthless to anyone who tries a fresh install on their system? Did MS plan this from day one knowing full well they'd intentionally cripple XP, forcing people to Vista?

[uNmentaLogic]

I think Microsoft have said that Activation will be removed when they discontinue their support of XP. But I'm not sure on what site or where I read it.

[atarileaf]

How would they do that? Isn't it something thats built into the OS on the CD?
If you install it, even without an internet connection, won't the OS default to wanting an activation code?

[uNmentaLogic]

Corporate edition of XP didnt require activation so Im guessing they will change a file or something to disable activation like the corporate version and just stick with product key etc for use.

[justin whitaker]

Now, with Vista out, the clock is officially ticking on XP and someday down the road, MS will officially discontinue support of XP. The difference now is that with XP, it has to be activated after you load it or after 30 days you can't use it anymore. You'd have to start over with a fresh install again.

Officially, they have said that XP will be supported until 2012. That is a very long time. My guess is that prior to that, Microsoft will turn up the heat on XP users to try to force them to Vista: Vista only DirectX, Vista only WMP12, etc....they do know how to incentivize an upgrade.

I wouldn't run XP that long. It's already a PITA to admin, and without another service pack, I can't see dealing with it until 2012.

So my question is, when that day comes, will XP be absolutely worthless to anyone who tries a fresh install on their system? Did MS plan this from day one knowing full well they'd intentionally cripple XP, forcing people to Vista?

I don't think they will cripple XP. Officially, they will remove activation at some point, most likely when usage of XP will no longer be an issue. Either everyone will be using Vista, or have found an alternative.

[atarileaf]

Officially, they have said that XP will be supported until 2012. That is a very long time. My guess is that prior to that, Microsoft will turn up the heat on XP users to try to force them to Vista: Vista only DirectX, Vista only WMP12, etc....they do know how to incentivize an upgrade.

I wouldn't run XP that long. It's already a PITA to admin, and without another service pack, I can't see dealing with it until 2012.



I don't think they will cripple XP. Officially, they will remove activation at some point, most likely when usage of XP will no longer be an issue. Either everyone will be using Vista, or have found an alternative.


Like Ubuntu! :)

[justin whitaker]

Like Ubuntu! :)

I've moved over....my wife has not, but I have. :( :)

[SunnyRabbiera]

well I can see XP possibly sticking around for a little while, but MS has planned dates on when they want thier OS to be obsolete, XP's last year from what I heard is next year with security support lasting for another 5 years or so.
but by that time linux would be at where windows is at now :D

[Trebuchet]

Officially, they have said that XP will be supported until 2012. That is a very long time. My guess is that prior to that, Microsoft will turn up the heat on XP users to try to force them to Vista: Vista only DirectX, Vista only WMP12, etc....they do know how to incentivize an upgrade.

I wouldn't run XP that long. It's already a PITA to admin, and without another service pack, I can't see dealing with it until 2012.MS has already announced a Service Pack 3 for XP due out in the fall of 2007. I doubt we'll see an SP4.

By the time support for XP is discontinued, they have long since worked out the bugs in Vista (and may well be releasing the follow-on).

[atarileaf]

I'm still not clear on how they will remove activation from a persons physical CD. The CD is the CD and it's programmed to want to run home to mama, ie get an activation code or will MS simply publish some kind of "kill switch" or common "one size fits all" super-secret activation code which will be made common knowledge to over-ride the OS's desire for activation?

My other question would be, once activation is discontinued, will you be able to load XP on any machine your heart desires? As many times as you want, as is the case with 98, 95, etc?

[DivineOmega]

So my question is, when that day comes, will XP be absolutely worthless to anyone who tries a fresh install on their system? Did MS plan this from day one knowing full well they'd intentionally cripple XP, forcing people to Vista?

If they did, it sure was a clever business decision. A VERY VERY annoying and horribly futile one (activation cracks) but still a clever one for those who remain loyal to the *ahem* advantage of genuine Windows.

Thank goodness for FOSS.

[smoker]

maybe ms will just legitimise the use of one of the many xp activation cracks available :-) if they did this though, would they recognize the intellectual property of the creator? lol,:-)

[atarileaf]

I'm still curious as to how MS is going to handle deactivating millions of XP CD's from wanting an activation code, if indeed that is what's going to happen. Anyone really know how this will be done? And, can we then use an XP CD on any computer?

[insane_alien]

maybe when the CD contacts the activation servers it'll just say go ahead all the time.

[erlyrisa]

By the time Vienna comes out :

-Hardrives = solid state
-CPU's = Multicore + stackable CELL processors.
-GUI's = Typing and the Mouse may actually be archaic.

Therfore I highly doubt any one would be concerned whether or not XP will install on an old bomb.... and besides , today you are really hard pressed to find an MS DOS disk, so instead you download FREEDOS. In twenty years time maybe to feel some nostalgia there will be similar XP downloads. (though I doubt it)

then there are the next gen OSes like singularity/inferno - by then even linux may be considered archaic.

I used to hold onto me P2's but now even when I look at a P3 i think - nah I can get a 2nd hand P4 for $100.00 so why bother holding onto trash.