MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Microsoft scraps Windows XP and clears way for Vista

Monday June 30 marks the day Microsoft has stopped selling its Windows XP operating system to retailers and major computer makers, clearing the way for the system and successor, Vista.

As of Tuesday Vista Ultimate or Vista Business, launched in 2006 will be the only system offered by Microsoft; in spite of the strong campaign requesting Microsoft not to scrap the popular Windows. However Microsoft will still allow smaller mom-and-pop PC builder shops to buy XP for resale through the end of January. A version of XP will also remain available for ultra-low-cost PCs such as the Asus Eee PC. A group of vocal computer users who rallied around a "Save XP" petition posted on the industry news site InfoWorld had been clamoring for Microsoft to keep selling XP until its next operating system, Windows 7, is available. The software maker has said it expects to release Windows 7 sometime in 2009. Last week, Microsoft said it would provide full technical support for six-year-old Windows XP through 2009, and limited support through 2014. Apparently the flourishing market for small low cost computers with limited memory and disk which do not support Vista is behind this late announcement. XP Starter Edition will also be provided in some emerging markets. Windows XP was launched October 2001 with XP recalling Experience. It was the successor of Windows 2000, of which it is estimated over 400 million copies in different versions have been sold. The 2006 Vista is believed to have only been able to sell 150 million copies because many companies prefer the XP, not only because the improvements of Vista did not convince but also because it is incompatible with many peripheral programs and gadgets. The different Windows versions are installed in 90% of the world's computers.