Windows XP Gets Another Stay of Execution

Windows XP Home will live until June 30, 2010, thanks to consumer demand generated by the popularity of ultra-low-cost PCs.

Windows XP has had its date of execution announced and delayed once already, but it turns out yet another pardon is in store for the cherished operating system – with a catch. On Thursday, Microsoft announced that it will sell Windows XP Home until the distant date of June 30, 2010, but only for ultra-low-cost PCs (ULPCs).

ULPCs include devices like the Intel Classmate, notebooks that were originally built for developing markets but that have seen popularity at home for their low cost. “Microsoft has heard from partners and customers that they want Windows broadly available for this new class of devices,” the company said in a statement. “Extending the availability of Windows XP Home for this category reflects Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to deliver the right version of Windows for new device categories as they emerge.”

Michael Dix, Microsoft’s general manager of Windows client product management, acknowledged that Vista was a less suitable operating system for machines developed on a shoestring budget. “While Windows Vista provides many benefits, including an easier and more secure user experience, Windows XP Home provides an effective solution on these devices from a performance and cost perspective,” he said in a statement.

While Microsoft’s last announcement explained extended availability of Windows XP Starter Edition, the more fully featured Windows XP Home was still on the chopping block until Thursday’s announcement. Other versions of Windows XP, including Windows XP Professional, are still slated to drop off store shelves on June 30, 2008.