The End Of Windows XP

Microsoft has announced that as of today it will no longer support its Windows XP operating system.

"It's an old operating system," said Tom Murphy, director of communications for Windows. "Think of the cellphone you were using in the late '90s compared to what you see today. XP doesn't do the things we expect from our PCs or devices today." Maybe so, but getting consumers and small businesses to dump XP has been a bigger chore than anyone could have predicted. As recently as February, nearly 30% of all PCs in the U.S. were still running on Windows XP, according to Web analytics firm Net Applications. PCs running on Windows XP will still function as they did before. But Microsoft says it's unlikely that your PC will be secure, even if you're running anti-virus software. It's not only consumers who are vulnerable. Businesses have also been slow to upgrade. According to Softchoice, a supplier of information technology to businesses, about 40% of enterprises of all sizes still use Windows XP to some degree. In 7% of those firms, XP runs on more than 80% of devices.

Businesses and consumers are advised to visit Am I Running Windows XP to check which operating system is currently in use. Microsoft is offering a $100 gift card to those wishing to upgrade.