Technical assistance from Microsoft ended last April 8, 2014 for Microsoft XP. This includes automatic updates and also Microsoft Security Essentials downloads. Microsoft will now focus and invest their resources to newer technologies for a new and enhanced customer experience.
What will happen after this? All Windows XP users can still use their PCs normally but the unforeseen technical issues will be at the user's own risk. Microsoft publicly announced that there will be no more new patches but they can still download patches and service packs released before April 8, 2014. Plus, there may be driver-related issues that may be encountered due to compatibility issues from some new hardware.
Such changes are very common in the world of information technology. Nevertheless, one must be prepared for these changes because technology needs to be improved for better performance and also to enhance user experience when using newer technology.
12 Highlights of the Windows XP Operating System:
- Produced by Microsoft as part of Windows NT family of operating systems.
- Released to manufacturing on August 24, 2001, with Windows XP build 2600, during a ceremonial media event at Microsoft Redmond Campus wherein copies of the RTM build were given to representatives of several major PC manufacturers in briefcases and then flew off on XP-branded helicopters.
- Generally released for retail sale on October 25, 2001.
- Latest stable version is 5.1 Build 2600: Service Pack 3 released on April 21, 2008
- Preceded by Windows 2000 and Windows ME, both released in 2000.
- Succeeded by Windows Vista which was released in 2007.
- Development began in the late 1990s focusing on two individual products codenamed "Odyssey", Windows 2000 successor and codenamed "Neptune" built on the Windows NT kernel, successor for MS-DOS based Windows 98 and intended specifically for mainstream consumer and was also originally planned for the business market.
- In January 2000, projects "Odyssey" and "Neptune" were replaced in favor of a single OS codenamed "Whistler", after Whistler, British Columbia because many Microsoft employees skied at the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort.
- Windows XP was released in two major editions, namely, Home and Professional.
- It introduced a significantly redesigned graphical user interface and was the first version of Windows to use product activation in an effort to reduce software piracy.
- Three service packs for Windows XP were released for various bug fixes and additional certain features. Service Pack 1 (SP1) was released on September 9, 2002 that contained over 300 minor, post-RTM bug fixes, along with all security patches released since the original release of XP. Service Pack 2 (SP2) was released on August 25, 2004 which added new functionality to Windows XP, such as WPA encryption compatibility and improved Wi-Fi support (with a wizard utility), a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer 6, and partial Bluetooth support. Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) was released to manufacturing on April 21, 2008 and via both the Microsoft Download Center and Windows Update on May 6, 2008 for the public.
- By January 2006, over 400 million copies of Windows XP were in use based on the web analytics data generated by Net Applications and it was the most widely used operating system until August 2012, when Windows 7 overtook it. Sales of Windows XP licenses to most OEMs ceased on June 30, 2008, although until October 22, 2011, Microsoft continued to provide OEM licenses for use on "ultra low-cost" devices such as netbooks.
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