Microsoft Extends Availability of XP Again: Is this the Final Step for Vista?

Those who do not prefer Windows Vista can be happy... Microsoft gave another reprieve to Windows XP for six months! It looks like Microsoft cannot let XP go. After the Vista's ad campaign, it's quite surprising.

A few days ago, the hot news of growing evidence appeared that Microsoft might have, essentially, been disappointed with Windows Vista. Therefore, it extended the availability of Windows XP on PCs for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). So, people will be able to continue to purchase XP until Windows 7 is ready to release, or very close to the issue date.

A Microsoft spokesperson reported that Microsoft is going to provide OS disks to OEMs. This will enable computer makers to downgrade computers they sell from Windows Vista Business or Vista Ultimate to Windows XP Professional until July 31, 2009, if they want to. Before that, Microsoft said the date they planned to provide the XP recovery disks to partners would be January 31, 2009. The company added that they are intending to do that, even though, there isn't any deadline for downgrade rights.

Previously it was planned that Windows XP would retire on January 31, 2008, a year after the release of Vista. But since Vista sales didn't reach their expectations, its death date was extended to July 30, 2008. The company said if customers want to downgrade from Vista to XP after the new deadline, they can contact Microsoft to ask for a disk.

Microsoft hasn't established any fixed date for the release of Windows 7. But in a recent publicly released email, Bill Veghte, Microsoft Senior Vice President for the Windows Business wrote that their plan is to release Windows 7 approximately 3 years after the general availability launch date of Windows Vista in January 2007.

This means that there will just be a six-month period between the end of XP's existence, and the beginning of Windows 7's lifetime. That's not a resonant endorsement of Vista. Additionally, rumors were floating around the Web that Windows 7 could be available as early as July, 2009, just when XP's lifespan ends.

If this is the case, it is intriguing that Microsoft spent so much money on the latest ad campaign in order to push Windows... the ad campaign doesn't mention Vista. It's just about Windows as a whole. Evidently, Microsoft isn't pushing Vista hard.

Resources:
Does the extension of XP mean the death of Windows Vista?
Microsoft allows its customers downgrade from Vista to XP
Microsoft prolongs the deadline of Windows XP for six months