PSA: Windows XP end of support and what it means for you.

[frostdillicus]

Windows XP leaves its extended support windows on April 8, 2014. What does this mean for you?

As an end user it means that if you are still using XP Microsoft is going to stop releasing security patches and fixes for any flaws in XP up to and including critical issues. This means that as exploits are found that take advantage of flaws in XP, you will be vulnerable to them. Generally, this will include viruses and exploits that risk exposing your personal information, or worse, giving control of your computer to others. If your computer becomes part of a botnet, some ISPs will actually drop your computer from their network to prevent your computer from participating in the botnet. In other words, you can get cut off from the internet.

After end of support many software vendors will also stop making their software for Windows XP. This could include many hardware manufacturers who will drop driver support for Windows XP.

More information can be found here. Please, switch off of XP before the end date, not only for yourself, but for the internet at large. There are already enough compromised computers out there, please don't become one of them.

[Gizanked]

you should get a mac. they can't get viruses. wink wink nudge nudge.

[metacide]

you should get a mac. they can't get viruses. wink wink nudge nudge.

>.>
<.<

Macs don't get viruses often but when they do it seems so much worse.

Also, yes, get away from XP. I use Windows 8 and Windows 7, I still prefer Win7 but 8 isn't as terrible as everyone says it is.

[Masakari]

you should get a mac. they can't get viruses. wink wink nudge nudge.

[NerevarineKing]

As a person who used XP from the time it came out until windows 7 was released, I approve this message.

[CoyoteCreed]

[Clay Pigeon]

But doesn't the POS (point of sale) ready 2009, based on XP sp3 have an EOL date in 2024?

[Dirty Dan]

Yes.

I don't even have to use windows xp at work anymore! I did as recently as this February though...

[black_and_blue]

This means that as exploits are found that take advantage of flaws in XP, you will be vulnerable to them.

And this actually is worse than it sounds, because most Windows vulnerabilities affect multiple versions of Windows.

All Malware writers have to do is wait for the first Patch Tuesday after Windows XP's End of Life, then reverse engineer the fixes for other Windows OSes to build an exploit for XP. They don't even have to find security issues with XP; Microsoft will do that work for them!

[dredfox]

But doesn't the POS (point of sale) ready 2009, based on XP sp3 have an EOL date in 2024?

Microsoft will continue to support XP for contract customers. They will get updates and patches, the rest of us will not.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/ ... line_nears?

[BlueInGreen]

you should get a mac.

+1

they can't get viruses. wink wink nudge nudge.

Possible, but rare.

As a side note, a 27" iMac makes a very nice Windoze box. I dual-boot between Mac OS 10.9.x and Win 7.