Windows XP Installs Are Done On New PCs

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Microsoft is taking further steps to try and kill off the (large) number of enterprise customers who keep using Windows XP, and (for whatever reason) aren’t upgrading their PCs to newer pastures. Has of October 22nd, Microsoft axed the ability for manufacturers to include Windows XP Home on netbooks, the last refuge for Windows XP installs. But there’s a catch.

Microsoft ended “preloads” of Windows XP in June of 2008, around the time that Vista first the market. But, as many will remember, that was just the beginning of the so-called “netbook revolution” where these cheap $300 computers saved the computer industry during The Recession. Microsoft (probably wisely) extended sales of Windows XP Home only for netbooks until October 2010.

But, I mentioned a catch. Enterprise customers can still downgrade to Windows XP. They’re only supposed to do it (in Microsoft’s words) “until they are ready to use Windows 7,” but knowing IT departments, we’ll see how long that goes.  Microsoft hasn’t announced a date, but the Microsoft journalists at ZDNet (Bott, Foley) believe that 2015 is when Microsoft will finally axe downgrade rights for WinXP.

But, for the home consumer, they’ve probably seen their last preloaded installation of Windows XP. Even today though, it probably would of been hard to find a netbook with Windows XP. A lot (or I’d venture to say, most) manufacturers have moved onto Windows 7 Starter edition.

It’s surprising how many folks are still using WinXP (and are proud of it). While researching my story on Fallout: New Vegas and the bugs it has, a large number of PC gamers on Bethesda’s support forums were proudly chugging along with the 32-bit version of Windows XP.

Come on, guys, it’s 2010. Windows XP is as old today as Windows 3.1 was in 2001. And I doubt many people were using Windows 3.1 in 2001.