Under the revised life-cycle guidelines, Windows XP Home and Media Center support will end on the second Tuesday in April 2009, and extended support will end five years later. The latter five years is significant. Microsoft doesn't typically offer extended support for consumer products.
Previously, Microsoft said that Windows XP Home and Media Center mainstream support would end two years after the release of Windows Vista, which is next Tuesday. This two-year date had extended previous support. Microsoft lists general availability of Windows XP as Dec. 31, 2001. Mainstream support should have ended five years later, or the last day of 2006. Microsoft's stated availability for Media Center was Oct. 28, 2002.
Microsoft has extended support for other products, such as Windows NT or Windows 98, because of product delays and Windows usage patterns. Windows Vista was first projected for delivery in 2004 and then 2005. Release in 2007 already puts Windows XP well beyond the typical five-year mainstream support period.
Support extension for the consumer versions is the right thing for Microsoft to do. By extending support, Microsoft ensures that consumers will continue to receive ongoing security updates, which is essential to protecting older computers from Internet marauders.
The extension also tacitly acknowledges Windows XP's worth as a product. One reason Microsoft could take so long releasing Windows Vista is because XP worked as a platform that developers could extend and add value to. Sure, security isn't as robust as Vista, but neither were the kinds of malicious attacks in 2001 compared with today.
The point: Windows XP is going to remain a viable operating system for some time. Consumers will continue their pattern of buying a new PC and handing down the old one for use elsewhere in the home. The old PC will run Windows XP instead of Windows 98, 98 SE or Me.
