Its time to give up your Windows XP computers. Either upgrade or just get a new one (more cost effective)

After April 2014, not only will Microsoft be ending support for XP, but so will manufacturers one by one. It will be a gradual process indeed, but finding new XP-compatible equipment after 2015 will likely start becoming a challenge. The biggest problem, however, is the lack of security updates after April 2014.

Windows XP is a bigger security risk the closer April 2014 gets

XP was never a model for a excellent OS security. Part of this was due to it becoming such a big target for malware writers in the mid-2000s, and some of it resides with some poor decisions Microsoft made in writing the OS from the start.

Application compatibility will continue to get worse

Security and application compatibility are topics which go hand in hand in many ways. For example, Windows XP doesn’t allow for any version of Internet Explorer newer than 8. The browser was recently humiliated by hackers in the notorious Pwn2Own contest just last year, giving malware writers a proof-of-concept that may unlock the doors to bigger and meaner attacks on the browser in the coming future. Microsoft will likely drop IE8 in a heartbeat once April 2014 turns the corner. Google already made an announcement that Google Apps no longer supports IE8 as of November 15, 2012. Expect this to become a trend soon.

The compatibility issue will become a problem for other areas too. Major software vendors will likely start withdrawing support soon after XP dies off to focus more development energy on Windows 7 and Windows 8. And security vendors like Symantec and ESET will focus less development towards XP as user bases for 7 and 8 keep creeping up – meaning XP users will be facing larger security risks the longer they stay on the platform.

To help you prepare for this change. We recommend that first look at your computer case. Usually on the back or the side of your case, there is a sticker that will either say Windows XP, Windows Vista or Even better Windows 7. If your computer Says Vista or 7 then you are safe from this change. If it says Windows XP then you probably have a 5 year old computer. We recommend that you upgrade to a new computer. Any computer at will come with the new version of Windows. If you are not ready to buy a new computer, you can give us a call, and we can see if your computer can be upgraded to a newer version of Windows.

When you think of buying a new computer you are probably thinking of a $500 or more expense. This is not true. Computer prices have dropped dramatically in the last few years.

I can help make this a less painful process. Give me a call. Or check out http://sapcupgrades.com/blog/new-computer-consulting/