3 More Years for Windows XP

Microsoft has began to intensify efforts to convince stuck-in-the-mud Windows XP customers to switch to Windows 7, the companies new OS. Although Windows XP is 10 years old, it is still running strong. The company will, however cease providing support for the XP OS in 3 years time (less than 1000 days) - a full 13 years after the operating system was originally released.

Things get better, faster and eventually it is time to move from good enough to something better. Support for XP officially ends on April 8, 2014.

In a letter sent to customers this week, Microsoft senior VP Bill Veghte said the software maker will provide security patches "and other critical updates" for Windows XP until April, 2014.

"Our ongoing support for Windows XP is the result of our recognition that people keep their Windows-based PCs for many years," Veghte wrote.
That may be, but Microsoft normally terminates support for an OS within ten years of its release -- at the latest. For instance, it plans to end support for Windows 2000 in 2010.