Microsoft terminates mainstream support for Windows Vista

Shawn Knight

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,294   +192
Staff member

Microsoft has terminated mainstream support for Windows Vista operating systems today. Vista was announced in July 2005 and released worldwide on January 30, 2007

Mainstream support is offered for a minimum of five years from the date of the product’s general availability or for two years after the next operating system has been released, whichever is longer. In this instance, the five year time span applied to mainstream support since Windows 7 was released more than two years ago.

Mainstream support applies to all customers but there are special circumstances for businesses. Extended support is available for commercial customers only and extends the support time to two years after the second successor OS (two versions later) has been released. Extended support for Vista is set to expire on April 11, 2017, although Microsoft outlines that in certain cases, support can be extended for up to 10 years after a product launch.

In terms of general reception, Vista seemingly ranks pretty low overall. PC World felt that it was the biggest tech disappointment of 2007 while InfoWorld ranked it as the second worst tech flop of all-time. Complaints were well-documented: the OS was a resource hog which ultimately made it slower than XP, some key features were missing and it was three years late to its own release.

Windows 7 came to the rescue in late 2009 but its claim as the latest Microsoft operating system is set to expire later this year with the launch of Windows 8. Will Microsoft get it right with 8 or are we headed towards another failed OS?

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/48139-microsoft-terminates-mainstream-support-for-windows-vista.html

 
Vista was pretty decent by the time they got 2 years worth of patches into it. In fact, not much difference between that and what Windows 7 is today. And I second what Per Hansson said. Windows 8 is going to be a disaster - I wouldn't recommend buying Microsoft stock options right now. They're going to tank as soon as that is released.
 
MS is shortening the life span of each iteration of OS. I bet it's going to try and force MS users into 8 by killing the life cycle of 7 in 2-3 years if you look at a plot from win 95 to now..

Linux is looking better and better
 
Vista was not great however after SP1 it was usable and after SP2 it was fairly solid. Windows 7 was the next step in the process and was solid right out of the gate. I'm concerned that Windows 8 is such a gamble, right now I plan on staying with Windows 7. Win 8 may be the next Vista with Win 9 being the good release. Linux is looking better each day, it has taken them a long time to get a desktop that (non-tech) people can use but it looks like they are there, especially if you only do the basics, web, office suite, email and printing.
 
Ha! Just because of a visual change, it is automatically worse than Vista?? Your comment is laughable at best. Only someone ignorant would say that Windows 8 will be a disaster ONLY because of a few familiarity changes.

I (a power user) exclusively used Windows 8 for a month and only switched back because of licensing and DRM (it's still a Preview, so I'm not willing to move much over). After a day of checking it out, I didn't have any troubles with it. It clearly was faster (in startup and doing normal tasks), the metro ui (if used correctly) let me customize my program list in a way that the start menu couldn't, and it was streamlined (besides a few things that took a few more clicks to use).
Would I recommend it? For tablets, sure. For desktops/laptops, it is faster and "better" than Windows 7 but might not be worth the upgrade based on your personal preference. At the worst, all you need to do is download a 3rd party start button.

And why did I try it for a month you might ask? It's so that I can tell some people (*cough* some commenters above *cough*) to suck it up with the visual changes and stop hating on a product that isn't even officially released (which you probably haven't even tried properly). It pisses me off when people bash something for no good reason beyond looks (unless it is meant to be art).
 
Sorry, but I liked Vista. Maybe I didn't have as many issues as others considering I was running the 64-bit version from the start, allowing for more memory.

Windows 8 looks cool too, but I can see how someone used to Windows 7 or XP will have faults with it. Microsoft is really pushing for a touchscreen enviornment with Windows 8, and the vast majority of PCs are not set up for that type of use, thus a possible fail. I can see how the Metro interface would work great on touchscreens though.
 
It would have been nice if microsoft built in backward compatibility options. In a business environment with a large number of non-tech saavy peope, we try to keep as true to the the classic windows interface as possible to prevent confusion. Windows 8 may have some uses and it is unfinished, but microsoft should take into account the broad spectrum of its users and make some classic configuration options available.

Even Microsoft had to bow to consumer outrage with Windows 8. It may happen again...
 
Sorry but I disagree.

If you were right there wouldn't be so many people complaining about windows 8 and that is fact!

I've used both the CP and the DP in a VM and windows 8 sucked.

a simple task that takes 3 mouse clicks on win 7 is now 10 clicks with win 8.

I'm someone that learns quick i've been building computers since i was 12 and it almost unusable on a desktop computer. The constant switching from desktop to metro like the OS is confused is annoying.

I need my computer to do work and windows 8 in its current form hurts my productivity plain and simple.

I would rather go back to Vista than use win 8.

And if that doesn't raise a red flag then I don't know what will.
 
Per Hansson: Yes I saw that before and am aware that standard users atm wouldn't be able to figure out some things without googling them, but you can't expect MS to say "Well here's Windows 8, have fun figuring it out" can you? Of course not, so there will be a tutorial to help people understand the concepts and operations around it.
As for what he brought up with the start menu vs metro, they are valid points but I also found that it didn't bug me. It was still one action away but gave the whole screen for the results.

So yeah, I was bashing the people that didn't give it a good try for themselves (as there weren't good reasons as to why Windows 8 would fail horribly). It does have some pretty good pro's and has its con's, but not enough con's to say it will fail...
However I am neutral about how Windows 8 is (not for or against it). I think that there should be a choice as to whether or not you can use metro, but do not care if I have to use it (as it is a unity-of-all-platforms thing). I don't know if it will do as well as Windows 7 but with the tablet market opened up for it, it just might. At the worst I see this OS becoming used mostly on tablets rather than PC's.
 
m4a4 said:
...there will be a tutorial to help people understand the concepts and operations around it...
Click to expand...

A lot of my friends in the technology industry. Really, the number one complaint I hear is "this means we'll have to train everyone because of the drastic differences. I do NOT have the time to do this." If you're running a small operation, it may or not be that bad. But when you have a building full of average joe employees who are using a new UI, it's going to be time consuming. They are so used to a certain way of doing things, and so used to where things are. We can already look at the average joe consumer and see their frustrations...the last thing they want is to have to learn a new way of doing things.

I realize that yes, they should be adults and learn to adapt, but let's face it...the general population is too stupid and immature for this, lol. Personally, i'm NOT a big fan of the change. As someone who is heavily into customization, this metro UI goes against EVERYTHING I stand for, lol.

==BACK ON TOPIC==

But, to get back on topic as this is not really about Win8, i'm not too surprised that MS is dropping mainstream support for Vista. We all know how many people hated it (and still do). I do hope that Win7 continues a long life as it is very popular. Unless MS creates a way to choose between the new or the old UI, I will be with Win7 for a long time even when they drop support. I'll be like the people who still (for some odd reason) cling to Win95 (yes...I sadly know people like this, lol). Someone I know will say "sadly, I know a guy who still clings to Windows 7" :p
 
vista was fine, people just hopped on the hater bandwagon that started before it even got released and people didn't even try to give it a chance. almost every complaint i ever heard in person was something that wasn't even real, they just had to do something slightly different from XP and refused to do it.

and yeah, i'm with people on windows 8 and the metro (seriously, is this 2005?) interface. vista smacks that pos out of the ballpark.
 
Its going to be another failure - as once again the competing goals of Microsoft are in conflict - This time making a touch screen OS together with something thats suitable on a phone, will use another chip manufacturers hardware, and letting the desktop user suffer. With Vista Microsoft was going for software controlled HD DVD and lost that battle to BlueRay and users suffered with a slow and bloated operating system.
 
Gamesinner said:
MS needs to terminate Windows Vista. What a crappy OS.
Click to expand...
What MS needs to do is probably very different to what MS should do if they were acting in users' best interests. Continuing support in the form of updates/service packs would be. Pulling the plug is not.

matrix86 said:
A lot of my friends in the technology industry. Really, the number one complaint I hear is "this means we'll have to train everyone because of the drastic differences. I do NOT have the time to do this."
Click to expand...
This is the major headache that the average home user, and MS marketing people, don't seem to take into consideration. It's quite odd because a large proportion of most legal copies of windows are on OEM machines shipped out to corporate users...
 
tengeta said:
vista was fine, people just hopped on the hater bandwagon that started before it even got released and people didn't even try to give it a chance. almost every complaint i ever heard in person was something that wasn't even real, they just had to do something slightly different from XP and refused to do it.
Click to expand...

The same thing is happening with Windows 8. The same thing happened with Vista (as you noted), and the same thing happened with XP. Unfortunately, just as XP was coming out, this board changed to the current form from a different one (Jawbreaker) and the old posts weren't carried over. But you can go to other old boards and see all the outrage at XP when it came out (Fisher Price interface for one).

To the guest that used the DP and CP in a VM, well there is your problem. Using any OS in a VM and expecting a full desktop experience in it is just setting yourself and the OS up for failure.

@fimbles - Just off the top of my head here are a few things that are better, I'm sure there are more, and if you read through the discussion thread Per linked above you'll find more but they are fitting into a 'personal preference' catagory.
* Better memory usage: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/07/reducing-runtime-memory-in-windows-8.aspx
* Uses less resources: http://www.cantonrep.com/news/busin...indows-8-halts-decades-of-software-code-creep
* Faster startup times: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/09/08/delivering-fast-boot-times-in-windows-8.aspx
* Improved task manager: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/13/the-windows-8-task-manager.aspx
* Improved file operations (can pause now, better and more detail): http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft+Makes+File+Management+Less+Painful+in+Windows+8/article22534.htm
* 11 click installation vs 60 with Win 7, plus several minute faster install: http://www.cantonrep.com/news/busin...indows-8-halts-decades-of-software-code-creep
 
fimbles said:
m4a4, please make a list of those pros.
Click to expand...

Look at my first post, second paragraph. I list pros there. (it seems SNGX1275 helped answer this one. And with links :D )
But to add:
-Linked to Windows Live Email (good across other devices)
-Better security features http://www.infoworld.com/t/windows-security/windows-8-security-stronger-gentler-174404
-All important utilities are a rightclick in the bottom left corner of the desktop away
-The ribbon menu for Explorer I see as a plus. At the least you minimize and it's out of sight

matrix86: I think that the concepts used are a one-time-show-the-person type thing. From there it will either be remembered or easily figured out again (I would hope :p ).
However, yes it will be annoying to "retrain" (at least for the mere fact that workplace efficiency will be reduced until they find out how to use it efficiently) but that comes with all new software and hardware.

As for customization, it only really matters on the desktop (and if you really want to customize, you can put that start button back).
 
SNGX1275 said:
...and see all the outrage at XP when it came out (Fisher Price interface for one).
Click to expand...
Well that explains it, because I still over 10 years since it's launch dislike it's interface and actually still prefer Win2K over XP if it weren't for planned obsolescence.

I guess if it weren't for the fact that this weekend's open forum got so much to my heart I would not even think much about it :) (Your most outdated software)

Now don't get me wrong I do see the benefits of Windows 8 and already listed those in the thread I linked in my previous post.
That does not distract from the fact that in my opinion there are a gazillion things which are worse.
One example: the "Windows Update" interface has been implemented in Metro.
But all you can do there is check for and install updates, nothing more.
I wanted to know what updates where installed yesterday, so I search for "Windows Update" in the metro UI, click on "Settings" and then Windows Update, it brings me to the Metro interface that does not have this info.
So I press the button to take me to the desktop, rightclick the nonexistant starmenu, sit and glaze at the menu because there are no icons so you have to read the different choices untill the "Control Panel" is found, then click on Windows Update there, this brings up the same Windows Update interface as in Win7 (Which is another of my peeves about most Windows versions: lack of coherent user interface)
Now that was an experience in improved productivity right? Because if so then Microsoft are on the right track...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Daniel Sims
Microsoft confirms standalone Office 2024 is coming to Windows and Mac later this year
Replies
15
Views
316
Gezzer
G
D
Microsoft reveals how much Windows 10 Extended Security Updates will cost
Replies
16
Views
252
Gezzer
G
A
An old and unreleased beta build of Windows 7 has leaked online
Replies
8
Views
151
ZedRM
ZedRM

Latest posts

Back