Shenan Stanley added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...
After reading the above entire thread - but particular just
the part (inline responses) - I have to say a couple of
things.
First - did you get the dates ("sometime in 2009") and facts
("support ceases except for critical updates to fix security
holes") from the same person you mention later ("my nephew and
tech support guru") - if so - did they give you any details?
Here are the details:
No, I think I read in in PC magazine's December, 2006 or January,
2007 edition.
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy
Explaining what you might see...
(# 3 - pay close attention to # 3)
And:
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselectindex
Where you can see the dates/support options for products by
name...
Windows XP Professional:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3223
Windows XP Home:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3221
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=7024
Windows XP TabletPC Edition 2005:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=7801
Short Answer...
Mainstream support ends: 4/14/2009
Extended support ends: 4/8/2014
Thanks for all the links, I'll check into this further.
Second - the person you mention ("my nephew and tech support
guru") has told you that he cannot buy a "retail version of
Windows XP with SP2 anymore"? I've even seen it in Wal~Mart
and such - so I know that even for most people - it's still
available locally. However - that one is easy to check up
on... Looking at some of the more well-known online vendors
first:
Please re-read your own quote of what I said "HE cannot buy XP
anymore", which strongly implies that he knows it isn't available
locally nor though his normal Internet sources. You're the 3rd
person to mention newegg. I never heard of them and I suspect
neither has my nephew, so that explains that and it also needs
some qualification as to their reliability etc.
Again, Shenan, not locally. I am quite leery of Googling my way
to this because of the (alleged) high amount of bootlegged
versions that refuse to activate. Yes, this is an unsubstantiated
opinion, but Vista has been out for a long time, if I have read
the MS notes that I am aware of (didn't know about those you cite
above), I jumped to the conclusion that MS no longer supported XP
so it didn't surprise me that my local Best Buy, Circuit City,
and few remaining full-line computer stores don't have it on
their shelves. I've also asked if XP is available in their
inventory as a special order and came up blank. Again, this is
NOT to say that XP isn't available, just that my nephew and I
didn't see it in the usual places we look for such things. So,
thanks for enlightening us both.
Wishing Microsoft would continue offering Windows XP is like
wishing that there were still selling/supporting as new Mac OS
9 or previous versions of *nix or closer to the product line -
Windows 98, Windows 2000. Everything becomes obsolete - just
because - historically - the electronics and software industry
moves faster than most other products in this reguard is no
reason to become meloncholy about it. It happens and not too
many years down the line - it will happen for the stuff you
consider new now.
I actually didn't say that I wished MS would continue. I believe
I used cars and consumer good as analogies of why companies do
NOT continue to sell older anything.
No one is forcing you to upgrade. I *still* know people using
Windows 98. They don't use it for much more than dialing up to
get their email and are still using the same hardware that
came with the machine - but they are using it the way they
want. Only *you* make *you* change. If what you are trying
to do requires a new piece of hardware - it is because you
chose to do something that requires said new piece of
hardware. If what you are trying to do requires a new set of
software - it is because you chose to do something that
requires said new set of software. Whether that is surfing
the Internet and utilizing the latest flash pages or just
buying that new scanner/camera and finding out the
manufacturer does not support it on Windows XX...
I never said I am being forced to upgrade. Again, Shenan, I thank
you for the valuable info but where'd you get all of your
opinions of me from? In fact, in this NG and all others, I have
steadfastly said that I would neither "upgrade" to SP3 nor to
Vista at the present time. In other threads at other times, I
have also said that I would NEVER do an in-place upgrade, I would
ONLY do a clean install. There is a lot to this in my mind, I
only made the comments I did in the light of people who DO want
to upgrade or have some compulsion to have the latest of
everything. I do not.
And, I believe I stated that I have 2 separate situations: 1) my
wife's PC which is pretty old and pretty slow and is running XP
Pro SP1 and 2) my PC which is newer and faster but not fast
enough for my perceived future needs. My past method of upgrading
is to give my wife my older PC - yes, I love her and no, I don't
give her hand-me-downs, but her needs are primarily E-mail, web
surfing, and just looking at pictures. I then get a new PC built
for myself, transfer all my data from both PCs to the correct new
one, and proceed to get it all running.
I have legacy HW and SW that I still want and need OR I can bite
the bullet and buy all new SW and HW. Now, I really DO understand
that in order to take advantage of a state-of-the-art PC as I
briefly commented on DOES require all new software that can take
advantage of the new HW. I am pretty sure I included this
"disclaimer" in previous posts to this thread. That said, some of
my apps, e.g., PSP 9, cannot be upgraded except to what the buyer
of the company now offers. In that example, Jasc Software was
bought out by Corel, who proceeded to destroy everything. So, I
DO know that most/ ALL of my apps and utilities either have to be
upgraded or a new mousetrap purchased for the same purpose.
Products come and go. Heck - if something happens to the
carpet in your living room - chances are if it is over 5 years
old - you won't be able to get matching carpet anywhere. ;-)
One more time, I much appreciate all your comments and those of
others who're pointing out that I have my head in the sand and so
does my nephew. But, since I am oft accused of being both verbose
and bloviating, which are accurate assessments of my posting
style especially on complex topics, I just didn't elucidate
everything above and more.
There are some extremely bright and experienced people in this
and other Windows NGs and there are also a large percentage of
newbies or people that do not have a clue about anything. I am
often accused of being stupid or it is as least implied. I am
not. What I AM much of the time is inexperienced in some areas of
both HW and SW and generally out-of-date because I have more
important things to do than try to stay current. So, I monitor
about 15 NGs to try to stay as current as possible and only
comment when someone posts something I want to know more about, I
think I can help them, or I want to voice my views. This thread
is the latter, where it confounds me why so many people are like
Lemmings running to jump off a cliff or newbies who have no idea
what they have now nor what XP SP3 is or is not or what Vista is
or is not.
So, I do appreciate new information and I would hope that others
treat me with the same respect as I try to extend to them. Thanks
and have a great weekend!
