Windows XP no longer allowed on PCs, Windows 7 turns one

Emil

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Today is a very important day for Microsoft: it's the first day that Windows XP can no longer be bundled on new PCs and it's also the first anniversary of the release of Windows 7. Either Microsoft planned for these dates to coincide, or we just have a big coincidence on our hands.

Due to Vista's performance issues on cheap netbooks, Microsoft had to extend the Windows XP installation deadline for its OEM partners. Back in 2008, Microsoft told OEMs that October 22, 2010 would be the last day they could sell computers that come with Windows XP.

XP was first released to retail channels on October 25, 2001. In recent years, the OS has become a thorn in Microsoft's side as the company tries to push the operating system's successors. Despite its outdated security systems and other issues related to being a nine-year old OS, many users still cling to it due to familiarity. In fact, it's still the most popular operating system in terms of market share.

In related news, Windows 7 turns one today. Despite XP's popularity, it has been growing the fastest of any operating system to date. In its first year it has already sold 240 million licenses. Microsoft hopes to push more users to it with releases that use hardware acceleration only available on Windows Vista and Windows 7. So far, these include Windows Live Essentials 2011 and Internet Explorer 9, neither of which can be installed on Windows XP.

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As a game developer side of view : Windows 7 targets 64bit systems mainly and is better in task-scheduling, which means that utilizes your new multi-core CPU much more efficient and everything will run smoother. Another feature is the new DirectX 10/11 that utilizes the new features of modern GPUs which gives you higher quality gaming experience than previous DX9 games.
 
Speaking of raw capability......

Spider Solitaire is so far superior in its graphics under Win 7 than under XP, I don't know why everybody doesn't run right out and buy a copy of Windows 7, just on the strength of that alone!

Was that inane enough for all parties involved in this thread?
 
Emil said:
What can XP do that Vista and 7 cannot?

This might be a pretty basic argument, but to put it simple: XP can run on computers commonly found in places such as central-America, west-China or pre-urban Siberia. Win 7 will be pretty crippled on that kind of computers (case in point, Windows Aero). Crippled to such a degree that there is close to zero differences between the two OS's.
 
Lokalaskurar said:
This might be a pretty basic argument, but to put it simple: XP can run on computers commonly found in places such as central-America, west-China or pre-urban Siberia. Win 7 will be pretty crippled on that kind of computers (case in point, Windows Aero). Crippled to such a degree that there is close to zero differences between the two OS's.
Have you read the posts above?? Its obvious why people has switched from 98 to XP? Because to use full power of new hardware!

Running Windows XP on *latest hardware* gives you the same experience like running Windows 98 on computers commonly found in places such as central-America, west-China or pre-urban Siberia.
 
windows xp is an inferior OS and is terrible!!! I would take vista & windows 7 any day.
 
This might be a pretty basic argument, but to put it simple: XP can run on computers commonly found in places such as central-America, west-China or pre-urban Siberia. Win 7 will be pretty crippled on that kind of computers (case in point, Windows Aero). Crippled to such a degree that there is close to zero differences between the two OS's.

Agreed. And you can add India to that list.
 
Have you read the posts above?? Its obvious why people has switched from 98 to XP? Because to use full power of new hardware!

Running Windows XP on *latest hardware* gives you the same experience like running Windows 98 on computers commonly found in places such as central-America, west-China or pre-urban Siberia.
Well, that and at EOL, there were no more security patches for 98. Legend has it a copy of Windows 98, would be infected about 5 minutes after you hit the web with it, but who knows if that's true. If there's any adventurous souls out there to take on this challenge, raise your hands.


I though that this what "Windows 2000 Pro" was for, easier on older hardware, not XP or 98. Well yeah, XP too, but Windows 98 sounds kinda harsh.
 
64 bit is ok as far as it goes but games like Medal of Honor will only run in 32 bit
 
Maybe you have no value in your older games but some games just work better with XP and some don't work at all on 7 (Vista is a mere memory now). You may enjoy your FPS but they only ever make most RPG's once so if you want to play it, you have to play on something thats atleast works. Case and point, Supreme Commander. Plays perfectly on XP 32-bit but has so many graphic glitches under 7 64-bit you can't see half of the time (same hardware). If Microsoft understood anything about backwards compatibilty this wouldn't be so much of a problem.
 
You asked what XP can do which Vista and 7 cannot.

It can run efficiently on older hardware which many of us are not ready to give up.

With the push to be "green" MykroShaft should be helping in that regard.
 
Guest said:
Maybe you have no value in your older games but some games just work better with XP and some don't work at all on 7 (Vista is a mere memory now). You may enjoy your FPS but they only ever make most RPG's once so if you want to play it, you have to play on something thats atleast works. Case and point, Supreme Commander. Plays perfectly on XP 32-bit but has so many graphic glitches under 7 64-bit you can't see half of the time (same hardware). If Microsoft understood anything about backwards compatibilty this wouldn't be so much of a problem.

I'm a game programmer and without any doubt I can say that Windows 7 graphics API is pretty backward compatible, its Supreme Commander or your outdated driver that sucks. I can run older games like RedAlert2, NFS5, WarCraft III or newer ones like CoD, Burnout and ... without any glitches here on Windows 7 x64 with my ATI RadeonHD 4890.

I think I need to create a new account here, its going hot ^^
 
I'm a game programmer and without any doubt I can say that Windows 7 graphics API is pretty backward compatible,y glitches here on Windows 7 x64 with my ATI RadeonHD 4890.

M$ itself seems to have a knack for backwards compatibility with their own programs. Witness the fact they claim, "Flight Simulator 2004", is Win 7 ready. I haven't tried it yet, but still, I have no reason to assume they're lying.
 
I have both Windows XP and 7 on my PC. I can just tell you that the capabilities and power of Windows 7 show themselves through time. It is now 1.5 years since installation of Windows 7 on my PC, and I see no bug, no crashes, no freezings during its start-up/shutdown. Windows XP is truly an outdated OS by now. On the same PC it takes 5 minutes to load and lots of non-sense bugs avoid proper productivity with it.

Long Live Windows 7!
 
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