Users petition to keep Windows XP

VodaHost · #1 04-15-2008, 07:45 AM

SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- Microsoft Corp.'s operating systems run most personal computers around the globe and are a cash cow for the world's largest software maker. But you'd never confuse a Windows user with the passionate fans of Mac OS X or even the free Linux operating system.

Windows XP is set to be pulled off of store shelves in June, but supporters hope their petition will prevent that.

Unless it's someone running Windows XP, a version Microsoft wants to retire.

Fans of the six-year-old operating system set to be pulled off store shelves in June have papered the Internet with blog posts, cartoons and petitions recently. They trumpet its superiority to Windows Vista, Microsoft's latest PC operating system, whose consumer launch last January was greeted with lukewarm reviews.

No matter how hard Microsoft works to persuade people to embrace Vista, some just can't be wowed. They complain about Vista's hefty hardware requirements, its less-than-peppy performance, occasional incompatibility with other programs and devices and frequent, irritating security pop-up windows.

For them, the impending disappearance of XP computers from retailers, and the phased withdrawal of technical support in coming years, is causing a minor panic.

Take, for instance, Galen Gruman. A longtime technology journalist, Gruman is more accustomed to writing about trends than starting them.

But after talking to Windows users for months, he realized his distaste for Vista and strong attachment to XP were widespread.

"It sort of hit us that, wait a minute, XP will be gone as of June 30. What are we going to do?" he said. "If no one does something, it's going to be gone."

So Gruman started a Save XP Web petition, gathering since January more than 100,000 signatures and thousands of comments, mostly from die-hard XP users who want Microsoft to keep selling it until the next version of Windows is released, currently targeted for 2010.

On the petition site's comments section, some users proclaimed they will downgrade from Vista to XP -- an option available in the past to businesses, but now open for the first time to consumers who buy Vista Ultimate or Business editions -- if they need to buy a new computer after XP goes off the market.

Others used the comments section to rail against the very idea that Microsoft has the power to enforce the phase-out from a stable, decent product to one that many consider worse, while profiting from the move. Many threatened to leave Windows for Apple or Linux machines.

Microsoft already extended the XP deadline once, but it shows no signs it will do so again. The company has declined to meet with Gruman to consider the petition. Microsoft is aware of the petition, it said in a statement to The Associated Press, and "will continue to be guided by feedback we hear from partners and customers about what makes sense based on their needs."

Gruman said he'd keep pressing for a meeting.

"They really believe if they just close their eyes, people will have no choice," he said.

In fact, most people who get a new computer will end up with Vista. In 2008, 94 percent of new Windows machines for consumers worldwide will run Vista, forecasts industry research group IDC. For businesses, about 75 percent of new PCs will have Vista. (That figure takes into account companies that choose to downgrade to XP.)

Although Microsoft may not budge on selling new copies of XP, it may have to extend support for it.

Al Gillen, an IDC analyst, estimated that at the end of 2008 nearly 60 percent of consumer PCs and almost 70 percent of business PCs worldwide will still run XP. Microsoft plans to end full support -- including warranty claims and free help with problems -- in April 2009. The company will continue providing a more limited level of service until April 2014.

Gillen said efforts like Gruman's grass-roots petition may not influence the software maker, but business customers' demands should carry more clout.

"You really can't make 69 percent of your installed base unhappy with you," he said.

Some companies -- such as Wells Manufacturing Co. in Woodstock, Illinois -- are crossing their fingers that he's right. The company, which melts s**** steel and casts iron bars, has 200 PCs that run Windows 2000 or XP. (Windows 2000 is no longer sold on PCs. Mainstream support has ended, but limited support is available through the middle of 2010.)

Wells usually replaces 50 of its PCs every 18 months. In the most recent round of purchases, Chief Information Officer Lou Peterhans said, the company stuck with XP because several of its applications don't run well on Vista.

"There is no strong reason to go to Vista, other than eventually losing support for XP," he said. Peterhans added that the company isn't planning to bring in Vista computers for 18 months to two years. If Microsoft keeps to its current timetable, its next operating system, code-named Windows 7, will be on the market by then.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/04/....ap/index.html

LadyEye · #2 04-15-2008, 06:30 PM

I feel like "The Rolling Stones" ... I want to buy 5 copies for my mother .. except I would keep them all to myself ..

Vasili · #3 04-16-2008, 06:03 AM

Wow. A petition with that many names barely gets a shrug, huh? (Kinda makes you wonder how many people would really sign it if they knew about it)

At least it makes me feel a little better, knowing that I am not the sole voice in the wind after all......(as if everyone in VodaTalk doesn't know by now, right?)

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jackitec@yahoo.co.uk · #4 04-20-2008, 04:00 PM

Well, I am all in faver in keeping XP however, everyone said the same about windows 95 then 98, and ME, Vista is what you call progress and I love it!!! and over the next few months I'm sure it will improve just like Xp did.

I have been using windows since 3.1 (1994) do you remember? anyway I would just like to tell you I'm an x IBM'er and Microsoft have done more for computers than most, so what if they dominate there is very little choice, you get what you pay for, all the other operating systems are OK I've tried them all but how much support do you get from them?

I have loaded all my programs into Vista and all of them still work even old windows 98 progams, so if you want to stay in the dark ages stick with XP, the programers won't, they are all writing programs for Vista now.

Jack.

Clefnotecomputers · #5 04-21-2008, 07:58 AM

All The New Systems I Have Been Offering Have The Choice Of Either Xp Or Vista And 9 Out Of 10 Would Rather Have Xp.Myself I Run A Hybrid Mix Of Xp Using Alot Of The Security Features And Vista Skins But It Still Has Xp At The Heart

jkadin · #6 04-21-2008, 02:28 PM

I have used xp now for 2 years its fantastic. Had very little problems with it in which got resolved very quickly. My wife has vista on her computer, and when I go to use it at times I just can't stand it. She had to refresh her computer twice already, in which mine has never been refreshed. To me the choice would be xp over vista any time.

Joe
anytime-figurines.com

navaldesign · #7 04-21-2008, 08:21 PM

I consider myself an experienced user. I have been working on 3.1 then 98 then XP Pro and last, Vista.

My main work is 3D design, mainly for ship designs and system designs, and i use lots of 3D software pieces. I have used them on XP and now on Vista. I must say that i see no difference in the way my software works (I have more than 50 software pieces on my laptop, among design tools in 2 and 3 D, translators, various editors, at least 10 web builders) i have php/apache/MySQL installed, i have LOTS of other small applications.
I normally have the entire Office suit together with other 4 - 6 programs open at the same time, together with BV (hehe) PHP Edit, PIX Resizer and some more tools.

NEVER have i had a blue screen, and my Vista opens files that XP would not. Stability is exeptional. performance is a bit slower, though i have seen a great improvement when i upgraded from 1 to 4 Mb.

Vista requires a lot of resources. This will make a low end machine slow. If you have a powerfull machine, don't hesitate.

The XP compatibility mode allows you to run software that is not optimized for Vista.

Vista (and the new ones, to follow) is the future. XP WILL become (in my opinion, it already is) obsolete. Because Vista offers so many functional features that XP can't even dream of.

I left as last point: i recieve more than 250 spam mails a day. My Window Live Mail (Vista) spam filters only lets 5 - 6 go through.

And i AM gratefull to Microsoft as well as all those companies that have shown (and still do) Microsoft what to do. I am gratefull to Netscape, because if it wasn't for them MS would not have developed IE. I am gratefull to anyone that makes our lifes more easy and in the same time more interesting. And Vista has added a touch of style to our computers.

leoni_v · #8 04-28-2008, 11:47 AM

I see myself as an experienced user too, having come all the way from DOS 6 via 3.1, 95, 98, 2000 and XP to Vista with forays into Linux at various stages.

I recently got a very nice quad-core 64-bit machine and opted for Vista Business Edition 64-bit because the shop could not get XP 64-bit running ... no drivers for the hardware. And it works a charm, but this is a high-end machine. The only problem I've had, and the reason why I'm dual-booting to (and mostly using) XP Pro 32-bit on it, is that Poser 7 crashes all the time on Vista. This might be a 64-bit thing rather than a Vista thing.

So at the moment I guess I'm still firmly in the XP camp too, but I have high hopes that Vista will improve. XP was terrible before SP2, if I recal correctly :)

Jeremy · #9 04-28-2008, 11:58 AM

Xp will become the next 98 .. even though 98 was maybe the greatest yet but Vista will become the next one everyone will get used too.

Then, when everyone got used to their new Vista, Microsoft will pull out a new platform that is better (we hope).

I have no problems with Vista, I have switched all my computers and now I've become independent on Vista and no longer use Xp.

But.. thats just me! =)

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