Microsoft declared to end support for Windows XP Service Pack 1 and SP1a on this Tuesday, leaving users no choice but to upgrade their OS into either SP2 or upcoming Vista. While 50% of windows user still using SP1 the move to drop support for SP1 is in line with Microsoft’s stated strategy for support. According to its guidelines, Microsoft guarantees to provide “mainstream support” for a full product for five years, but will only guarantee to support a service pack for 12 months after the launch of the next version of that pack. So legally Microsoft is clean for ending support for SP1 - since SP1 was started to shipped in September 2002...and SP2 was released in September 2004.
Users can check which version they are running by right-clicking on the My Computer desktop icon and then selecting properties. The decision to end support for SP1 will help Microsoft to clear the decks for the arrival of Vista, which is expected to be released to business customers next month and to consumers by the end of January.
This will definitely put a spark on growing unrest on Microsoft’s product policy. For example Mac OSX let their user upgrade with little or no cost at all, on the other hand Microsoft charge a very handsome amount even if it’s just an upgrade. Shouldn’t Microsoft be concerned that MAC OSX-Leopard is due to release around the same time as Vista? Which we probably don’t need to remind you, but it will support both PC and Mac platform (platform independent) and cost $60 less than Vista’s basic edition.
Users can check which version they are running by right-clicking on the My Computer desktop icon and then selecting properties. The decision to end support for SP1 will help Microsoft to clear the decks for the arrival of Vista, which is expected to be released to business customers next month and to consumers by the end of January.
This will definitely put a spark on growing unrest on Microsoft’s product policy. For example Mac OSX let their user upgrade with little or no cost at all, on the other hand Microsoft charge a very handsome amount even if it’s just an upgrade. Shouldn’t Microsoft be concerned that MAC OSX-Leopard is due to release around the same time as Vista? Which we probably don’t need to remind you, but it will support both PC and Mac platform (platform independent) and cost $60 less than Vista’s basic edition.
Could this be another mistake for Microsoft?
Read [ZDnet]
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