"OK! OK! We'll Support It!" LOL

[Jody Thornton]

A possible quote from Microsoft at the last minute? See up until now, I would think not, but now I'm starting to wonder...

See, I have to believe that Microsoft is concerned that so many people are still using Winodws XP, and are even stubbornly staying with it. I really wonder if it may not be a possiblity that Microsoft (at the very last minute) will add a few extra months of updates to the Windows XP codebase.

Here's what I don't get. Microsoft and its partners are warning of zero-day attacks even on April 9, 2014 being a possibility. But aren't Windows XP users receiving their last set of Patch Tuesday goodies on or around April 8, 2014? And so are users of Windows Vista, 7 and 8, right?

So won't XP actually be up to date until early May 2014? After all, it's only then that XP will be without the benefit of new updates that have been provided to Windows Vista/7/8x. Am I wrong?

Microsoft could have fixed this more easily by providing customers with an updated OS that was light on the resources. The "moderninzed" system could have just focussed on basic hardware rendering, lighter RAM requirements, improved compatibility with AF fixed drives, and security improvements. However in every other respect, it could have retained an XP/2003 like heritage.

Edited January 14, 2014 by JodyThornton

[Guest]

There's been a zero day vulnerability for XP since November and I haven't fallen victim to it. It will be finally patched tomorrow.

If you know your stuff and use Firefox or Chrome as your browser (with an ad blocker) then IMO there's not much to worry about.

I've been running Windows without AV since 1996 and have only come across 2 or 3 minor infections up until now. When I did get those, I knew practically nothing compared to now.

The problem is always going to lay with the person using the computer.

As for patches, there are a couple of other OS's whose patches may be applied to XP. We'll just have to wait and see and see if they can be discussed here due to the legality of using them..

[Jody Thornton]

Well I'm not posting this out of desparation. I would just find it humourous if Microsoft caved in at the last minute.

[Kelsenellenelvian]

They already have a couple of times XP was slated to die a loong time ago originally..

[Jody Thornton]

I'm aware of that. I just wonder if the stubborn fan base for XP worries Microsoft so much that they'll change their mind.

[Kelsenellenelvian]

What like they changed their mind with the 8.1 start menu?

[Ponch]

I'm aware of that. I just wonder if the stubborn fan base for XP worries Microsoft so much that they'll change their mind.

What exactly do you think Microsoft should be worried about? People getting infected buying new computers?

[Jody Thornton]

I wonder if they'll be fearful that compromised users on XP will give Windows a bad image overall. I'm not saying they should worry, but I wonder if they'll cave in to XP user demand; that's all.

I'd be more interested in whether or nor XP is to considered "out of date" immediately as of April's updates, or only when May's updates have come and gone, and XP is not included. (After all, XP still gets the same updates as Vista/7/8 does for April, no?)

[jaclaz]

I wonder if they'll be fearful that compromised users on XP will give Windows a bad image overall. I'm not saying they should worry, but I wonder if they'll cave in to XP user demand; that's all.

I'd be more interested in whether or nor XP is to considered "out of date" immediately as of April's updates, or only when May's updates have come and gone, and XP is not included. (After all, XP still gets the same updates as Vista/7/8 does for April, no?)

More interesting would be another aspect, IMHO.

What if after April 2014 a large number of XP (and/or Server 2003) installs are brought to their knees by some malware/0day that later results as making use of a vulnerability of which MS was made well aware BEFORE April 2014? (and that did not patch in a timely fashion?)

jaclaz

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Also what if they shut down the activation servers?

[jaclaz]

Also what if they shut down the activation servers?

Well, they could release an official "local" crack , there are several ones they could use should they be incapable of coding one

jaclaz

[submix8c]

"Auto-Activate"+"Auto-WGA"!

[Jody Thornton]

Well I wonder if some here from Microsoft might step in to say whether or not April's updates sufficiently protect XP users for an additional month. If they do for Vista/7/8x, then they should for XP.

[vinifera]

to above posts, simply put, they won't care

win2k sp4 + rollup still has system exploits, do they care ?, no

same will be with XP, why should they care, it ran out of its support cycle and thats it

soon will come vista with same problem

activation servers, again why should they care, since you're technically not buying their OS but simply rent it, otherwise

it wouldn't be illegal to modify it, even with nLite

your only salvation is to use XP Pro VL, and then backport XP POS patches, as that one go till 2019

is it legal ?, its up to you

Edited January 15, 2014 by vinifera

[Monroe]

All interesting comments and nothing against any post ... but I don't really care about anymore MS updates. I updated through the Dec 2013 updates (with my fingers crossed!) and have a fantastic working XP setup with an image backup from a week ago. After the MS XP update fiasco yesterday from when I went from 1 update that later disappeared to 2 new updates ... what is going on? I ran an update check on Mon the 13th and no new updates were showing, then Tue morning I have one required update that is gone in a few hours to being replaced by 2 new updates.

Who needs this crap? ... I'm tired of being a "nervous wreck" the week before MS updates are released every month. I don't sleep good ... I sit up in bed sometimes at 3am worrying if I will still have a "working computer" after the updates are released. I'm not going to end up on Prozac because of some stupid MS updates that are probably not important or even actually fix anything.

... OK, I was "over the top" on the update thing, but I have stopped with the December updates till April / May and then will run the update check and go for what shows up as a final ... but I still have my image backup to rely on, if the last updates actually screw up my computer. Maybe there will be more updates after April ... personally, I hope not, I want to be through with them once and for all and finally enjoy Windows XP to the fullest.