Goodbye Windows XP - Hello Windows 8.1 Update

Today heralds the end of an era. After 12 years, support for Microsoft Windows XP will end on today, 8^th April 2014 (in around 14 hours time after this article is published).

This comes as no surprise as the date for the end of Windows XP extended support was announced about 6 years ago.

Opinion: While Windows XP was a great operating system when it was released, it is now significantly out of date. Microsoft have released Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 since. I have heard of situations where people say that they are looking at competitive solutions to Windows and Office because Microsoft is behind the times and not embracing new technologies. When you look closer, you find that they are comparing Windows XP and Office 2003 or Office 2007 (7-10 year old software) with the latest technology from our competitors. They should be comparing against Windows 8.1 and Office 365 or Office 2013 to get the big picture of how the Microsoft devices and services ecosystem really works.

To help those still using Windows XP. I wanted to bring together a number of resources from Microsoft websites and blog articles to help explain what the end of support means for both consumer and enterprise customers and what options are available moving forward:

• Consumer: Windows XP end of support
   
• Enterprise: Support for Windows XP for Enterprise Business is Ending (with countdown clock)
   
• Support: Support is ending for Windows XP
   
• Services: Windows XP SP3 and Office 2003 Support Ends April 8, 2014
   
• TechNet: Windows XP - End of Support, Migration Guide
   
• Microsoft Security Blog: The Risk of Running Windows XP  After Support Ends April 2014
   
• Windows Experience Blog: New Windows XP data transfer tool and end of support notifications
   
• Security Tips & Talk Blog: Support for Windows XP ends soon
   
• Springboard Series Blog: 365 Days Remaining Until XP End Of Support. The Countdown Begins

Today also brings the release of the Windows 8.1 Update. The update to the Windows 8.1 release. This update includes a number of features designed to make using the Modern UI and Start Page of Windows 8 easier for users on non-touch (mouse and keyboard only) systems.

Check out the video and blog post below:  

Introducing the Windows 8.1 Update (Direct Link)

[View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKTlOYjmiZo]

For more information on what Windows 8.1 Update offers, have a look at the following post from the Windows Experience Blog:

• Windows 8.1 Update - important refinements to the Windows experience

Hope you find this information useful. 

David