Microsoft Taking Official Petitions to Keep XP Alive

[SiM]

If you can remember back a few weeks, Steve Ballmer went on record saying that Microsoft would consider extending the life of Windows XP if enough people asked for it. Afterall, many people don't want to upgrade to Windows Vista because they are perfectly content with XP. The problem was there was no way to ask for it. Sure, you could sign one of the many online petitions, but Microsoft considers those "non-official complaints" and the rest of us simply consider them silly.

Well, word has been passed down to the tech support teams (and then on to Neowin) that they are to begin logging any calls that come in for the sole purpose of requesting an extension to the retail life of Windows XP. The calls will be logged and, if enough complaints are filed, Microsoft will consider giving XP some more time (no pinky promises, though).

If you wish to file an official petition yourself, you can simply call the Windows XP Home Edition support numbers for your country and let the operator know that you wish to file an official complaint. Because we're so nice and want to save you the trouble, here are the numbers for a majority of Neowin's visitors:

* United States: (866) 234-6020
* United Kingdom: 0870 60 10 100
* Canada: (800) 936-8479

If your country isn't listed, you can visit the Microsoft Support Site, choose your country, choose Windows XP Home Edition as your product and then go to 'Contacts' for the appropriate support number.

Source

[directhex]

why won't the bloody thing just DIE

[SiM]

why won't the bloody thing just DIE

lol... because more people use it than vista

[directhex]

lol... because more people use it than vista

more people used 98 than xp. and moaned about how xp was horrible bloaty rubbish, too

[SiM]

more people used 98 than xp. and moaned about how xp was horrible bloaty rubbish, too

then when SP1 came out XP was better... and the balance changed... its a pity Vista SP1 still has loads of problems...

[Splash]

Unless I'm much mistaken XP was pretty nasty until SP2. I was running 2k up until then (with the odd XP rebuild to see what the state was), whereas I've moved straight over to Vista. I guess it's horses for courses...

That said, how are Microsoft going to fund extended support for XP if this happens? It's got to be paid for somehow, after all.

[chuckskull]

As nice as it is to see MS listening to customers if they keep this up they could end up supporting XP for decades.

95 and 98 still have a huge userbase, especially in some parts of the world for example. Both a decade old now.

And yes XP was horrific til SP2.

[SiM]

XP SP1 was better than 98 though! SP2 was a big jump up though...

If they keep selling XP, then the funding will come from that... although they won't make as much money from Vista then (but they will probably still make more money overall!)

[directhex]

in 2008, there's desperation to stick with an OS released in 2001. because it's... i dunno. more comfortable? people are "used" to it? i mean, nobody in their right minds would describe xp as in any way "perfect", yet they're adamant that they never want to see any more money ever spent on improving operating systems ever again?

i really don't get it. what's so goddamn special about xp?

[dangel]

then when SP1 came out XP was better... and the balance changed... its a pity Vista SP1 still has loads of problems...

It's a pity XP SP3 still has loads of problems. Worse ones in fact.

I look forward to the inevitable extinction of XP via people buying a new PC as per usual. Just like last time. And the time before that. etc.

I know it's not fashionable but I like Vista and it is a better OS. Seven will be built on it as a result.

[Splash]

People in general dislike change, it takes them out of their comfort zone.

[chuckskull]

i really don't get it. what's so goddamn special about xp?

Beats me.

[Ferral]

I'm with Directhex on this one, hardware changes and so does software. I can't see what the gripe with Vista is really. It feels pretty comfortable to use and hasn't caused me any problems in the time it has been on my system.

Can't keep holding onto XP, think it was said that support would origionally end 2010, thats another 2 years for Microsoft to get Vista as good if not better than XP.

A lot of places now package Vista with their machines so inevitably it will become more popular as the userbase grows. I think we will see over the next year or so more and more people using Vista and XP become more a background thing.

Not forgetting that Windows 7 is now being developed so the whole money side of things will be aimed at that and also Vista support. Clinging onto XP will just slow things down.

[dangel]

People in general dislike change, it takes them out of their comfort zone.

Yeah - and MS' are total bastards - FORCING us to upgrade an OS after ONLY SEVEN YEARS!!!!!

Oh, the humanity.

[Grey M@a]

Yeah - and MS' are total bastards - FORCING us to upgrade an OS after ONLY SEVEN YEARS!!!!!

Oh, the humanity.

LOL that has made my day

I am still on xp as I tried vista on the home machine and the hardware is far to old to handle vista well. Next upgrade though I will be looking towards vista/windows 7

[directhex]

Yeah - and MS' are total bastards - FORCING us to upgrade an OS after ONLY SEVEN YEARS!!!!!

Oh, the humanity.

in the time it took ms to release vista, there were 4 new osx releases. at £85 a pop