Why is it that...?

[tacantara]

I run XP in a VM because it was the only version of Windows I had available when I decided to make Ubuntu my main OS (it replaced Vista Ultimate, which was factory installed on my laptop, hence no Windows retail disk/key). I now have a valid retail copy of Vista Basic, and I might go ahead and run it as a secondary VM. This way, when XP is no longer supported, I will have Vista to fall back on. Right now, XP works for what I need it for, regardless of its asynchronous status in the PC world. All I know is that I need some form of Windows for the very few things I run that have no suitable Linux alternative and/or will not run in Wine.

[misfitpierce]

Not all do. I left windows years ago and do not even run Wine to run windows apps. Its all a matter of preference and some use both because they still need XP for work etc or specific programming etc. It is compared to XP in some cases because XP runs smoother and lighter than Vista and 7 etc. Its all matter of preference.