Until or unless Microsoft extends the date of product support for the Windows XP family and license availability, it certainly seems that vendors would be committing a major disservice to the public by continuing to offer the Windows XP operating system . As the date currently stands, mainstream support for Windows XP ends in April 2009, less than 10 months away. Extended support expires in 2014 (security fixes free all other help paid).
Rather than jeopardizing the security of their customers' computers, it appears that OEM manufacturers would rather put them at risk by selling an outdated operating system. Windows Vista was released to manufacturing over 18 months ago. Certainly sufficient time has lapsed for vendors to upgrade software to be compatible with Windows Vista. If this hasn't happened, you can be assured that it is intentional on the part of the vendor and the product will likely not be updated.
The one exception to the availability of Windows XP is for OLPC's (One Laptop Per Child) XO laptops. While the end date for all other OEM and retail licenses of Windows XP operating systems have a June 30, 2008 end date, the new OEM end date for will be the Ultra Low-Cost PCs will be the later of either June 30, 2010, or one year after the general availability of the next version of Windows.
References:
- Lifecycle Information for Windows Client Products
- Look! Windows on the OLPC XO!
- Microsoft and One Laptop per Child Partner to Deliver Affordable Computing to Students Worldwide
- Windows Life-Cycle Policy
Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...
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