Windows XP is an Operating System that was released by Microsoft in Late 2001 (Almost 13 years ago!) and as with most technology, an awful lot can change in 13 years. Microsoft initially stated a 10 year support window for Windows XP, which has actually spanned 12 years – coming to a close on the 8th of April 2014.
The facts
An unsupported version of Windows will still function, however it becomes more vulnerable as it will no longer receive software updates through Windows Update – these include security updates that can help protect your machine from viruses, spyware and other potential threats. The majority of these concerns can be addressed by taking care in following through web links as well as ensuring you have an up to date Anti-Virus product, however users may still be affected by any Windows XP specific vulnerabilities that come to light in the future.
As Software and Hardware manufacturers continue to optimize their products for more recent iterations of the Windows Operating System, you may see more and more programs and devices that do not work with Windows XP.
What should you do?
The Windows Operating System has evolved a lot since the release of Windows XP into a more secure, more efficient and easier to use tool. The lack of support for Windows XP is one of many reasons why we would recommend upgrading to Windows 7 at minimum.
Depending on the age of your computer, you may well find that it cannot run Windows 7 or 8, meaning that in order to upgrade, you will also need to purchase a new PC. Here at Nippy Gecko, we have a vast amount of experience in tailoring computer configurations to their user’s specific needs.
Get in touch!
If you still have any questions, please do get in touch- we’re more than happy to help.
