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Dell to prop up XP

by on28 April 2008

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We will keep it going after June


Officially
Microsoft is going to kill off XP after the first of June. However, it seems that manufacturers, such as Dell, are going to keep it alive well after that date.

Dell is the first retailer to confirm having plans to sell the faithful ol' OS past the end of June by taking advantage of a loophole in Vista licensing. In the Vista Business and Vista Ultimate license there is a clause that allows PC makers to provide XP under the Vista license, which Microsoft calls a "downgrade" license. You buy a Vista license that it can apply to XP, and Microsoft can still claim a Vista sale.

Microsoft is happy with the deal because if Dell sells way more machines with this "downgrade" option than with Vista, Redmond can still claim that people are adopting Vista. It can also say that it has killed off XP and not have to change its public plans about Vista.
Last modified on 28 April 2008
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