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    When XP can no longer be activated?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Osm3um, Nov 18, 2006.

  1. Osm3um

    Osm3um Notebook Enthusiast

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    A number of people are stating "I will be staying with XP and not upgrading to Vista".

    One thing which has not been discussed is:


    What happens if MS shuts down the ability to activate XP?

    What incentive does MS have to continue to continue to Activate XP? The cost of keeping the activation servers/phones etc would be wasted.

    Is it in the Eula, laws, etc that they MUST continue to activate software for X years?

    I see this a a HUGE potential problem.

    Bob
     
    Osm3um, Nov 18, 2006
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  2. Sykotic

    Sykotic Notebook Evangelist

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    I think they will continue to fully support XP for at least several years after the release of Vista, pretty much the same way they continued to support win9x up until several years ago. Failure to support thier products while trying to force users to upgrade not only thier OS but also hardware to support it would erode away quickly public confidence and force tough Anti-Trust litigation against them. The decision to drop support for thier older operating systems (win9x) was due to the fact that there was such a small percentage of users that still used that OS and NOT a factor of forcing them to upgrade. I am sure that this will continue to be the trend.
     
    Sykotic, Nov 18, 2006
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  3. adinu

    adinu I pwn teh n00bs.

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    OSM, they wont stop allowing the activation of OSes. Thats the dumbest thing they can do. Think about it, people can still use win95, 98 and 2k and those came out a long long time ago. What htey will do, like sykotic mentioned is that they will stop offering support (aka updates and tech support) for older OSes. But they will never just simply stop allowing pple to use XP or any other OS, especially if XP is still pretty new. THey will eventually stop supporting xp in a couple of years, but that doesnt mean pple wont be able to activate xp and use it.
     
    adinu, Nov 18, 2006
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  4. iOsiris

    iOsiris Notebook Evangelist

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    Even when they don't support it. You can activate it now and then make a disc image of that and bingo.
     
    iOsiris, Nov 18, 2006
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  5. Fred from NYC

    Fred from NYC Notebook Evangelist

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    Consider that Microsoft ended active support for Windows 98 only in July 2006. Microsoft won't add new security updates but you can still run Windows Update if you reinstall Windows 98 on an old PC. By the time Microsoft ends support for Windows XP, there will probably be a post-Vista version of Windows.
     
    Fred from NYC, Nov 19, 2006
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  6. kingfrog77

    kingfrog77 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thats what I did. I can install it over and over again and DL the UPdates from MS.
     
    kingfrog77, Nov 19, 2006
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