The software giant continues its efforts to move XP users away from the 11-year-old OS

Apr 8, 2013 23:51 GMT  ·  By

As we told you on several occasions, Microsoft will officially retire Windows XP in less than 12 months, so everybody still running the 11-year-old operating system is recommended to move to either Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Microsoft obviously does its best to show users that staying with Windows XP is a very risky decision, especially because the company will no longer release patches and security updates as of April 8, 2014.

One of the reasons for dumping Windows XP is the fact that it isn’t a “modern” operating system, the company said in a new blog post, so users’ only choices should be Windows 7 or Windows 8.

But what’s that a modern operating system?

“A modern OS refers to Windows 7 and Windows 8 as well as a modern browser like IE 8, 9 and 10. These are hardened, secure operating systems built to support users’ needs around security, mobility and overall flexibility. Windows 7 and Windows 8 offer users a great experience while reducing costs and increasing IT manageability,” the Redmond-based titan said.

So what if you decide to stick to Windows XP after the April 8, 2014 retirement date? You’re doing that “at your own risk,” the company added, but it’ll be happy to help in case you go for Windows 7 or Windows 8.

“Windows 8 is the modern OS for modern businesses, building on Windows 7 fundamentals like speed, reliability and security, while creating a modern platform designed for a new generation of hardware options,” it said.

Unsurprisingly, many users have already expressed their intention to continue using Windows XP after its official retirement, even though this means that their data might be exposed to hackers. Of course, Microsoft expects everyone to embrace Windows 8 by 2014, as the current uptake of its new OS is still below expectations.