Windows XP Deadlines Loom
Several Windows XP deadlines are coming up, both of which may affect businesses. The most important is that end-of-support for Windows XP SP2 hits on July 13. Support for the final XP service pack, SP 3, goes through April 2014, so there's lots of breathing room there. If you haven't upgraded to SP 3, however, the time is now. Microsoft, of course, would like you to skip SP 3 altogether, dump your desktops and replace them with shiny new Windows 7 boxes.
The other note is that this Oct. 22 -- not coincidentally, the day that Windows 7 will be one year old -- OEMs will no longer be allowed to put XP on netbooks, and most will likely move to Windows 7 Starter Edition. It shouldn't be that big a deal for most, since that's what goes out on about 80 percent of netbooks right now.
--By Keith Ward
Posted by Doug Barney on June 11, 2010