Published: 08/01/2014 By Dan Sayer - Head of IT
After 11 years of service, Microsoft will soon be ending support to it's seminal operating system Windows XP.A favourite of businesses large and small (and even parts of the Royal Navy), the operating system will soon no longer receive regular supports and updates from Microsoft HQ - with the tech giants stating:
"Microsoft has provided support for Windows XP for the past 11 years. But now the time has come for us, along with our hardware and software partners, to invest our resources toward supporting more recent technologies so that we can continue to deliver great new experiences.
As a result, after April 8, 2014, technical assistance for Windows XP will no longer be available, including automatic updates that help protect your PC. Microsoft will also stop providing Microsoft Security Essentials for download on Windows XP on this date.
If you continue to use Windows XP after support ends, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Also, as more software and hardware manufacturers continue to optimise for more recent versions of Windows, you can expect to encounter greater numbers of apps and devices that do not work with Windows XP."
Sad times.
To read the full statement and for more information click here.
As well as discontinuing support for Microsoft Windows XP, as of April 8th 2014, Microsoft Office 2003 will cease to be supported by Microsoft. This is due to Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Policy. To read about their Support Lifecycle Policy click here.
What could this potentially mean for you?
We know that what operating system your estate agency uses is possibly not high on your list of priorities. However, as your operating system contains vital information about your business and your clients, ensuring it's protected by the latest updates and security enhancements is vital! So, if you're still running Windows XP, you may want to consider upgrading to a new operating system.
To find out which operation system you use, visit our tools page or get in touch with the Webdadi Team via the link below.
