allank
Premium
join:2002-08-04
Leawood, KS
| Upgrade XP Home to XP Pro for extended support?
As discussed here »Windows Security Updates to Continue Past 2006, Microsoft stated that XP Home will have security update support for 2 years after Vista is released. However that is likely to mean that security updates will end 2 years after sometime later this year, probably in 2008. Since I've just purchased several PCs with XP Home SP2 on them I don't care to pay to upgrade the OS *and* the related commercial applications (anti-virus, backup etc) *and* any unsupported hardware in just two years time. Instead I prefer to get more like 3 to 5 years before replacement, which is standard commercial practice if I doing this as a business.
So I'm considering upgrading from XP Home to XP Professional soon, since XP Professional has security update support for a total of 7 years after Vista is released. This would provide security updates into 2012, which is well beyond the time I would obsolete these PCs.
I am curious how the rest of you are planning on handling this transition? Are you hoping Microsoft will provide XP Home security updates beyond the 2 year window? Or are you planning on upgrading to Vista? Or are you just procrastinating?...lol |
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koma3504
Advocate
Premium
join:2004-06-22
North Richland Hills, TX | Acually Microsoft should rethink this decision Based on how many Xp home computers are out there.
Home users will run them aslong as they can. |
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centacre
join:2003-03-17
Cypress, TX | I think they will, like what happened when they were going to end win98SE support and ended up extending it. |
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Kiwi
Premium
join:2003-05-26
USA
 ·Comcast
 ·Aristotle Internet
2 edits | reply to allank
'98 was extended and will probably continue to be supported, why? Because most Third World Countries use the product. The down side is that at best, the critical updates are haphazard.
I still use all MS OS products, except ME and it's relevant to note that '98 is still a solid MS product.
In the next year or two Linux will probably replace the MS product, for most people. But in the meantime '98 is still a going concern.
{Edit} Be aware that the Home version of XP has a limited shelf life, support; where XP Pro has an extended shelf life. That's significant. I prefer XP Pro SP1, over XP Home for sure. Some like the concept of SP2, but I have issues with that, others don't.
Cheers
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2.66g/533fsb Intel CPU @ 3.48g
512meg Twinmos PC3700~466 DDR @ 2.8v -PCpower&Cooling 512. May, 2003*
ATI 9500 Pro @ 9700 Pro @1.6v
AMD ASUS A7N8X-E ~
2500+ @3200 ATI 9500 Pro, Corsair 512LL.
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Marilla
I Am My Own Arbiter
Premium
join:2002-12-06
Belpre, OH
1 edit | reply to allank
Re: Upgrade XP Home to XP Pro for extended support
My understanding of the sitiuation is that two years after the release of Vista, Windows XP will enter the same phase of support in which Windows 2000 is now.
In this phase of support, which I believe lasts another five years (until 2010 for Windows 2000, and presumably until 2011 for XP is Vista is released this year), security-related updates will still be made available. Windows 2000 is still being updated, for example, and .NET 2.0 was released for Win2k, as well.
The end of mainstream support is not at all an absolute death knell for the OS version in question, and I intend to keep using Win2K for some time, myself, and likely the same will hold true with those systems on which I have XP (home or pro)
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I am the sole arbiter of what is important enough to spend my time on - not anyone else here, or anywhere else. You take care of yourself, and leave me to me, got it? |
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Kiwi
Premium
join:2003-05-26
USA
·Comcast
·Aristotle Internet
| said by Marilla  :.... I intend to keep using Win2K for some time, myself, and likely the same will hold true with those systems on which I have XP (home or pro) That was the most reliable OS to date, for MS. A 24meg OS verse the 1.5g XP OS, has caused a definitive learning curve for most people, trying to figure out the Reg files. Bloat ware @ best. From a programing stance & Security; one is much better off with 2k Pro. But it seems we are going to see the advent of less for more. 
Though VISTA, will probably turn a lot of people off the Windows OS, for more than one reason; go figure! That's why I believe Linux will supersede Windows, is that good -I don't know.
Or/ a new OS will be coming forth to replace both! That's not completely out of the question, if more than three OS samples are now available -Windows, Linux & the Mac OS; who's to say there won't be another?
It's probably time for a change in concept. It's really time for a change, though I'm not knocking Windows; those that use an OS, may well see a positive step in a new conceptual revolution. Larger, confined ~Is not necessarily better. I bet there is someone out there ready to change how we view an OS.
I appreciate what Gates has provided, but I also believe his time has come close to passing. New concepts and advances may well change how we see things.
Cheers
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2.66g/533fsb Intel CPU @ 3.48g512meg Twinmos PC3700~466 DDR @ 2.8v -PCpower&Cooling 512. May, 2003*ATI 9500 Pro @ 9700 Pro @1.6v
AMD ASUS A7N8X-E ~2500+ @3200 ATI 9500 Pro, Corsair 512LL. |
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allank
Premium
join:2002-08-04
Leawood, KS
| reply to Marilla
Thanks for the comments. Obviously there is still some confusion! However if you read this »support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy and this »support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3221 (and contrast with XP Pro here »support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3223) it states that XP Home is a CONSUMER product and that consumer products do not get extended support, which means officially no security updates. XP Pro is a business product and does get extended support which includes security updates.
Microsoft's clarification this week was that mainstream support will continue for two years after the introduction of the next version, which is Vista. For XP Home there is currently no extended support beyond that. |
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halston54
| reply to Kiwi
What I'm wondering is why we don't already have dozens (if not hundreds) of very good easy to use OS's available already? Why should we have to rely on Windows to be able to use most of the best software? Why can't there just be many different choices besides Windows? That's what I would really like to see is dozens and dozens of easy to use OS's that could be somehow compatible with Windows and still be able to run all the current popular Windows programs.  |
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