As we begin the new year, it is a good time to take stock of the lifecycle status of Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. As you make buying decisions, it is important to be aware of this information.
Every Windows product has a lifecycle, which begins when the product is released and ends when it is no longer supported. Along the way, the most critical dates are:
· End of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled: this is the date after which one can no longer purchase a PC with that version of Windows preinstalled.
· End of Mainstream Support: this is the date after which Microsoft will no longer develop the operating system by either changing the design or adding new features. This is also the date after which free support from Microsoft will no longer be available.
· End of Extended Support: this is the date after which Microsoft will no longer provide security updates and support. This is the most critical date to be aware of because after this date, the operating system becomes a more significant target for malware and third party vendors will begin to no longer support the platform.
As an operating system matures, Microsoft typically releases Service Packs in which they bundle up many security fixes, bug fixes, and enhancements. It is always important to install the latest Service Pack and it is the Service Pack version that Microsoft refers to when they publish support lifecycle dates.
Here is the current chart from Microsoft documenting the End of Sales dates:
Every Windows product has a lifecycle, which begins when the product is released and ends when it is no longer supported. Along the way, the most critical dates are:
· End of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled: this is the date after which one can no longer purchase a PC with that version of Windows preinstalled.
· End of Mainstream Support: this is the date after which Microsoft will no longer develop the operating system by either changing the design or adding new features. This is also the date after which free support from Microsoft will no longer be available.
· End of Extended Support: this is the date after which Microsoft will no longer provide security updates and support. This is the most critical date to be aware of because after this date, the operating system becomes a more significant target for malware and third party vendors will begin to no longer support the platform.
As an operating system matures, Microsoft typically releases Service Packs in which they bundle up many security fixes, bug fixes, and enhancements. It is always important to install the latest Service Pack and it is the Service Pack version that Microsoft refers to when they publish support lifecycle dates.
Here is the current chart from Microsoft documenting the End of Sales dates:
Here is the current chart from Microsoft in which they have published critical lifecycle dates:
You may be surprised to see that Microsoft has already published End of Extended Support dates for Windows 7 and Windows 8, even though they are still actively selling both platforms. Microsoft has already announced the next version of their Windows operating system, which will be called Windows 10 (they are skipping Windows 9). Windows 10 is expected to begin general shipping toward the end of this year.
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