14 DAY TRIAL // Windows XP is no longer receiving updates and security patches, but the operating system is still powering 28 percent of the desktop computers worldwide, which is obviously an indication that many users have no plans to upgrade to a different platform.
That of course if a little bit worrying for Microsoft, as the Redmond based giant has warned with every single occasion that staying on Windows XP isn't quite the smartest thing you can do right now, because once a hacker finds an unpatched vulnerability in the operating system, your data could be easily compromised.
What's more, Microsoft has even started showing upgrade notifications on Windows XP computers, just to make sure that everyone is aware that support is no longer offered and moving to another operating system is the only choice.
Windows XP will still be around for a while, but one of our readers has actually found a pretty good explanation as to why an operating system that's 12 years old cannot be completely retired.
Posted with the nickname “XP Is Not Dead Yet,” his comment emphasizes that Windows XP is pretty much a solid operating system because it has what it takes to cope with all types of hardware and it can be safely used without too many tweaks.
At the same time, he said, Windows XP is also offering decent customization options, so the majority of users already changed some of the default visual elements to make the operating system a bit more eye candy.
Of course, don't take this comment for granted, but there's no doubt that it's at least worth a read, especially because it comes from one of the users who are still in love with Windows XP, even though Microsoft has already launched Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 8.1 Update.
Here is his comment in full and let us know what you think in the comment box after the jump:
“To those who believe XP should die or is unsafe, consider that most people in China have been running XP without Microsoft's updates, never had them, and their computers still work - no virus has made it unusable, which to me indicates XP is solid. If a computer running an operating system from 12 years ago has not crapped out it is because it is stable and strong.
People on XP have tweaked it (no one is using that wallpaper in the screenshot!), and have added software that makes it as secure as Microsoft's other OSes - the proof is XP's long life! It has been Microsoft's own updates that have given computers the blue screen of death or made them unbootable.
All of Microsoft's operating systems after XP have ridiculous restrictions on what you can do with your own computer (Vista being the worst example), so Windows 8.1 is a joke, even if it IS better than Windows 8.0!
When I first used XP many years ago, I didn't even know what antivirus software was, and I went for about 3 years without any. I did have to remove viruses manually from the registry, though. My point is, the sky isn't falling because there are vulnerabilities to deal with.
Saying XP is old is not entirely correct either. I bought a laptop in 2010 or so that came with the same hardware that Windows 7 Pro 64-bit uses now.
In the article it says XP's vulnerabilities could become a bad thing for everyone. This seems to be saying that the newer Microsoft operating systems can't protect against this, either! So how can they be safer?
Attacking users of XP is ridiculous. Better you should direct your anger at people who believe that Microsoft is helping consumers, when clearly they're using scare tactics to put money in their own pockets, and not offering anything better that XP. They could, yet they won't.”