Did I just hear this right? Microsoft activation servers will allow new XP installs after doomsday?

[Reefa]

Microsoft never ceases to baffle me with their policies. For the past few years, we've had this ongoing hullabaloo about the end of support for Windows XP, come April 8, 2014. I even called it the XPocalypse.

You all know the story. Microsoft will stop updating and patching XP after that date. All the bad guys the world over are rubbing their hands together with glee about all the systems that are justing waiting to be pwned.

Microsoft says "Move on." It's time. XP is old. Vista came and went. Windows 7 came and stayed. Windows 8, well, Windows 8 is it's own long story. The point is, XP is ancient and it's time to let it die a dignified death, says my ZDNet colleague Ed Bott.

Fine. I get all that. I even agree with all that.

Kill XP. Don't support it. Don't upgrade it. Don't do security patches for it. Don't even let Microsoft Security Essentials update on XP. Just. Let. It. Die.

This is the mantra we've been getting from Redmond. XP is going to die.

And then. If this were video, you'd see me shaking my my fist at the sky with a furious expression on my face. Because I read something. Something that's UN-EFFIN-BELIEVABLE.

Okay, sit on down. You're gonna need to.

Our own Mary Jo Foley wrote what you'd think would be a harmless little piece. We all pretty much know the story, so what new and un-effin could we possibly discover from her Windows XP end of support in April: Three more questions answered?

Here it is. Microsoft is stopping all support for XP. They're stopping all updates of XP. They're stopping all security for XP. But -- oh my gosh I can't believe I'm typing this -- if you decide to install XP and activate it after April 8, they're going to let you.

That's right. The Microsoft activation servers will allow new XP installs to activate after doomsday.

W-effin-T-effin-F?

Source

[knowledge-Spammer]

its good news

[SnakeMasteR]

lol, how is that something to W-effin-T-effin-F about? Millions of people and companies paid for the OS, why should they not be able to activate it after doomsday?

It's like buying a car and after the company that built the car goes poof you need to give the car (which you own) back, it doesn't make sense.

Edited January 16, 2014 by n0_risk!

[MidnightDistortions]

Xp is already dead or dying. It's not going to stop people from buying the new OS's or anything. MS campaigned that using Xp is a security risk and for some, they won't connect Xp to the internet.

I don't understand why people are bickering about people still able to activate XP. It's always been this way with outdated Windows systems. All MS is doing is stopping security updates. They don't want to deal with it anymore. People out there are still using W95/98 or other retired OS's so there's no sense in worrying about it.

[nanana1]

Nice ! Windows XP is free after April 8, 2014, celebrate ! :party: