Microsoft ends support to Windows XP

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Microsoft has ended support for Windows XP after 13 years of its existence. After 13 years of success, the support ended on 8th April 2014 which means that it'll no more receive the security updates and technical support from Microsoft.

The firm recommends the Windows XP users to switch to its latest operating system, which is Windows 8.1 for enhanced security and improved features. But the big question that pops up is, ‘Are people happy with this change and are they ready to move on from their once beloved Windows XP?

Why users need to upgrade from Windows XP?

End of support to Windows XP broadly means that the PCs running on this OS will be more prone to viruses or malware as they won't be receiving any security updates from Microsoft. This makes it important for the users to migrate to newer versions of Windows. (Windows 8.1 being the latest). Windows XP went on for 13 years and has been one of the best and most used operating systems in the history.

How can one stay protected?

There are just two ways with which a user can stay protected. First is to upgrade their PCs and the second is to buy a new PC running newer Windows OS. Microsoft has answered almost all the ‘How to' questions on its websites and blogs which helps users to make this change. Enterprise customers and the small to medium business can download ‘Microsoft Deployment Toolkit'.

What if a user sticks to Windows XP?

Without any support from Microsoft it is very risky for a user to run Windows XP. Using Internet on a Windows XP powered devices could be risky as information could be exposed to threats. Also, these products won't receive any updates from Microsoft, making the OS outdated. That apart, even the hardware support would end and manufacturers won't be making devices that support this platform.

Among all the Windows OS versions till date, Windows XP was the most adopted one as people loved the simple interface and UI it offered. But with moving trends and shifting focus, Microsoft took this steep step. Additionally, its popularity was propelled because of the poor reception of Windows Vista, which was the successor to Windows XP. 90 percent of our ATMs still run Windows XP for which Microsoft has extended support but the migration is not necessary for all and Microsoft is helping people and organisations with this giant leap.