[OPLINTECH] XP end of support plans?

[James Guilford]

Unless libraries are actually using Microsoft's support services, 
there's no reason to hastily jump ship from WinXP to anything else. 
Here's what Microsoft says about the end of support date that is 
approaching:

    "Windows XP will transition from the Mainstream Support phase to the
    Extended Support phase on April 14, 2009, as scheduled. During the
    Extended Support phase for Windows XP, Microsoft will continue to
    provide paid support and security updates at no additional charge.
    Extended Support for Windows XP will retire on April 8, 2014."    --
    http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean31

We don't use Microsoft's support services and so long as they continue 
to issue security updates, we'll be happy to continue using XP so long 
as it does the job.

In our case we lease most of our public PCs and the current crop with 
Windows XP installed will go off-lease a couple of years from now. At 
that time we'll lease new machines for the public with whatever OS makes 
sense at that time. For staff and other PCs we own, attrition and 
planned replacement will take care of the transition between now and 
when extended support for XP comes. By then we'll have a mix of Vista 
and Windows 7 unless it makes sense (and it just may) to upgrade our 
staff's Vista boxes to Win7 when it is released.

-- J. Guilford

Microsoft's Lifecycle Policy FAQ:  
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

shivelri at oplin.org wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I am curious as to how other libraries are handling the end of support 
> of Windows XP?
>
> Are you upgrading to Vista? Holding out for Windows 7? Or are you 
> looking into switching into the GPL line of OS's like Linux?
>
> Interestingly as I studied the lifecycle plan as released by Microsoft 
> (link provided below), I noticed that Microsoft only supports software 
> for 5 years or 2 years after its successor product is released, which 
> ever is longer (consumer products). Therefore if Windows 7 releases as 
> rumored this year support for Vista could be knocked off as soon as 
> January 2012 (Jan 2007 + 5). Where with the same expectations for W7 
> releasing this year would mean support until at least 2014 (2009 +5). 
> Just some food for thought.
>
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?LN=en-gb&x=16&y=12&C2=1173
>

-- 
------------------------------------
James Guilford, I.T. Manager
Westlake Porter Public Library

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