XP Retiring - So What Next?

Windows XP is fast approaching its end of life date of April 8, 2014 and the questions on most people’s minds are what does end of life mean for XP users? And what happens next? 

What does end of life mean for XP users?

Every product we use is likely to have a lifecycle, and Microsoft products are no different. All that Microsoft mean by the end of life of any of their products, Windows XP included, is that Microsoft will no longer support the product. Ultimately this means that Microsoft will no longer provide automatic fixes, updates or online technical support for retired products. 

Don’t Panic:

If you are one of the many, still using XP do not panic, it isn't just going to stop working overnight. However running XP after the end of support date is not advisable, as it can pose security and privacy risks, which will have significant impacts on users, especially businesses.  After April 8, 2014 XP users are likely to be targeted by hackers, this is because XP will no longer receive automatic security updates, leaving your PC vulnerable to hackers and viruses.  Running an unsupported version of XP may also reduce the effectiveness of your anti-virus software. This is because the Windows security updates often patch vulnerabilities within the system and without these updates the vulnerabilities are not being patched.

What happens next? 

More Microsoft News:

Office 2003 is also reaching the end of its life on April 8, 2014. Alike those using XP after April 8, those using Office 2003 after April 8 will be vulnerable to hackers. The updates for Office 2003 work in the same way as the updates for XP and so without these vital update there are the same risks to your security and privacy.

There are a number of newer Office versions for you to upgrade to, so why not contact us, a Microsoft Partner to discuss your upgrade options.