14 DAY TRIAL // Windows XP no longer receives support since April 2014, but plenty of users out there are still running it, and not only that they refuse to upgrade to a newer operating system, but they also ask Microsoft to launch a second edition of their favorite operating system.
While this is pretty much impossible to happen, since Microsoft has already started work on Windows 10 and launching Windows XP Second Edition would only mean a step back, it's interesting to see why exactly people want such an operating system in an era where modern technologies do not get well at all with a platform launched 14 years ago.
Posts all over the web, but mostly on Microsoft's Community forums, emphasize that Windows XP Second Edition is needed because users still expect to get an operating system that's still resource-friendly (and thus runs on older PCs too), comes with a familiar UI, and runs all apps out there.
Obviously, keeping old hardware alive wouldn't be the smartest decision for Microsoft, as PC shipments go head to head with Windows sales, but that doesn't stop Windows XP users from hoping that a revamped version of their OS would see daylight.
“Windows XP SP2 would be a gold mine”
A post published on the Microsoft forums in 2014 sums up what users think about this proposal:
“That's a fantastic idea. And don't change the interface. And feel of it. Plus make old software and games work on it. Give it the latest Direct X. People would definitely buy it. I certainly would. But we know Microsoft is too dumb to realize they have a goldmine in a XP2 version.”
“I bet all the IT people would upgrade too. I would like it to have visual styles and be able to change the colors. I always keep my fingers cross on a second XP version. Gates is back, he should think about it. There should be a petition for it. I can't stand Windows 7. Tried it, hated it.”
18 percent of PCs still running Windows XP
According to statistics provided by market research Net Applications, Windows XP continues to be the second top operating system worldwide with a share of 18.26 percent in December 2014, while Windows 7 continues to lead the charts with 56.26 percent.
As you can see, Windows XP is losing ground at a really slow pace, which isn't quite the best news for Microsoft, but there's no doubt that all Redmond's hopes are on Windows 10.
The new operating system is expected to see daylight in the fall of 2015, and that is the moment when more users could migrate off Windows XP, thus causing a new massive PC upgrade that would also help the PC industry boost shipments and thus recover at a faster pace.