Windows XP: The Operating System That Can’t Die

If you went back in time to 2001-2003, you would read computer magazines that sound almost exactly like they do today. The only difference would be one word. “I don’t recommend Windows Vista. Stick with Windows XP” would read “I don’t recommend Windows XP. Stick with Windows 98”.

Now, in 2009, it would appear that Windows XP is the ultimate, most bestest version of Windows EVAR, and there is no way it should be allowed to die.

Lifehacker today wrote about a rumor that once computers begin shipping with Windows 7, you’ll still be able to downgrade to Windows XP.

http://lifehacker.com/5201786/pc-makers-can-offers-downgrades-from-windows-7-to-xp

Seriously, Windows XP has been around since 2001. I think it’s run it’s course. Windows XP is good, but it’s time to move on. I’ve always seen IT as a field that should be moving forward, not clinging to the past. Maybe that’s the big difference between Mac and Windows users. Mac users, at least those I’ve come into contact with, are always excited when Apple does something new. Windows users generally seem to have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the next version.

Whenever Apple releases a new operating system, suddenly you can’t find software for the last one. Most of the community moves on. Windows Vista has been out for more than 2 years, Windows 7 is due to come out soon, and yet there is still software that won’t run on anything past XP. I updated my GPS last month, and the Magellan update software would only run on a Windows XP system. IT’S BEEN 2 YEARS YOU LAZY PROGRAMMERS! UPDATE YOUR STUFF FOR VISTA.

For the most part, I don’t mind XP too much, except for one really annoying part that I can’t seem to do anything about. You know those annoying pop-up balloons that come up in the taskbar and won’t go away? I can start my system, get a balloon that I’m connected to my wireless network, and I have to click on the stupid balloon to make it go away. Microsoft has released 3 service packs for XP. Why couldn’t they make those balloons time out and go away on their own like in Vista? I have yet to find a suitable registry hack to take care of this.

Honestly, if this one really bad annoyance could be fixed, I’d jump on that “Let’s run XP for the rest of our lives” IT bandwagon. OK, I’m being partly facetious, but I’d be a little happier about having to use it. Until then, it’s onward and upward.