End free security updates for XP Home in 2007?

[Shenan Stanley]

We don't expect it to be supported forever. However, if we
purchase the product new in 2006, it is not unreasonable to
expect it to be supported, at least with online security updates,
until 2008.

Why?

You essentially went out and bought a product manufactured in
2001/2002.. Just because you bought it today doesn't mean the
company that made said product still makes or supports it (not
speaking of Windows in particular here - but any product in
general.) I mean - in four years time the producer of the product
you just purchased "new" could have actually gone out of business,
been bought out, etc.

I just don't understand the logic.

<snipped short of the part that proved Windom already had what Windom wanted
and did not know it.>

Thanks for the follow-up. You are very well spoken and I appreciate
you perspective on this issue.

I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree on this,
though. If Microsoft had discontinued the XP product two years ago,
then I might be able view this situation differently. However, Win
XP Home is still the most current consumer operating system that
they offer, and they're still making plenty of money off of it. I
happen to feel that buyers are entitled to a certain, albeit
limited, level of support. I realize that this may not seem
logical to you, but some situations transcend the application of
logic.

Have a nice weekend, and thanks for your input.

You cut my response off too soon.. If you read to the bottom you will see
that you have nothing to disagree with.. You wanted support through 2008 -
and no matter what now - you have that.

You got what you asked for.. Until Vista is released to manufacturing (it
is going Beta 2 this month - maybe - which means it won't be released to the
public for a while now..) you are fully supported.. And from the time -
from the DAY that Windows Vista becomes whatever new name it might be and is
sold to the public for the first time - you have another TWO YEARS of
support on your Windows XP Home edition

Let me quote you the part you snipped that made your argument null and
void - since you got exactly what you asked for anyway. =)

-----
You can always check out the life cycle of any Microsoft product (that has
gone into "RTM" status) here:
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselect

Special note to you: You get your wish no matter what. You wanted support
until 2008 - well, even if some miracle happens and Vista/Longhorn is
released TODAY, you will still have support until 2008.. The product life
cycle page dutifully reports:

'Windows XP Home Edition - Mainstream support will end two years after the
next version of this product is released.'
-----

Windows Vista is the "Next Version" mentioned there. Hasn't been released.
It's January 2006. Two years from Monday - if Vista went RTM (Gold) instead
of Beta 2 (NOT happening - let me assure you! heh) would be January 2008.
Your "until 2008" support is already there. *grin*

 

[Windom]

You cut my response off too soon.. If you read to the bottom you will see
that you have nothing to disagree with.. You wanted support through 2008 -
and no matter what now - you have that.

You got what you asked for.. Until Vista is released to manufacturing (it
is going Beta 2 this month - maybe - which means it won't be released to the
public for a while now..) you are fully supported.. And from the time -
from the DAY that Windows Vista becomes whatever new name it might be and is
sold to the public for the first time - you have another TWO YEARS of
support on your Windows XP Home edition

Let me quote you the part you snipped that made your argument null and
void - since you got exactly what you asked for anyway. =)

-----
You can always check out the life cycle of any Microsoft product (that has
gone into "RTM" status) here:
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselect

Special note to you: You get your wish no matter what. You wanted support
until 2008 - well, even if some miracle happens and Vista/Longhorn is
released TODAY, you will still have support until 2008.. The product life
cycle page dutifully reports:

'Windows XP Home Edition - Mainstream support will end two years after the
next version of this product is released.'
-----

Windows Vista is the "Next Version" mentioned there. Hasn't been released.
It's January 2006. Two years from Monday - if Vista went RTM (Gold) instead
of Beta 2 (NOT happening - let me assure you! heh) would be January 2008.
Your "until 2008" support is already there. *grin*

Shenan:

I'm sorry that I snipped too soon. I did read it all; I'm just not in
the habit of quoting entire replies to my posts. I've been through
all the life cycle pages, including the one that my response from
Microsoft gave me. Somehow, they appear to me to be vaguely
worded (perhaps I'm just trying too hard to read between the lines),
and I'm writing Microsoft a second time for additional
clarification.

Thanks again for your post. I look forward to hearing from you
in the future on this newsgroup.

Windom

 

[Richard Urban]

If you had read all the posts you would have seen TWO days ago that I said
you would get two more years.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Windom]

If you had read all the posts you would have seen TWO days ago that I said
you would get two more years.

Hello Richard;

Yes, I did read your post. I just couldn't find it anywhere in
writing on the Microsoft web pages. That's why I wrote to them.

Best regards;

Windom

 

[Bruce Chambers]

We don't expect it to be supported forever. However, if we purchase
the product new in 2006,

The point you've missed is that, in 2006, WinXP isn't "new." It's a
3-year-old product. It doesn't magically become "new" just because you
delayed so long in purchasing it.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Ron Martell]

It may be difficult for you to envision, but if they want to force
home users to upgrade to Vista, I wouldn't put it past them to
deny us the updates.

They said that support would not end until two years *after* the
replacement version has been released.

As yet there is no replacement version that is even close to being
ready for the market, so it is going to be sometime in the third
quarter of this year *at the earliest* before anything new (e.g.
Vista) reaches the market, and XP Home will be supported for an
additional two years from that date, meaning at least until the third
quarter of 2008.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."