Microsoft's Windows Vista has been given the cold shoulder by many companies and consumers
Windows XP lives on through licensing loopholes
/v3-uk/news/1980416/windows-xp-lives-licensing-loopholes
28 Apr 2008, Guy Dixon , V3
Three of the world's largest PC manufacturers are exploiting loopholes in Microsoft licensing terms as a means of supplying Windows XP beyond its official kill date.
Dell, HP and Lenovo have found ways of prolonging XP's lifespan, despite Microsoft's best efforts to phase out the old OS out in favour of Vista, which has thus far been given the cold shoulder by many companies and consumers.
Dell and HP are exploiting a clause in the downgrade rights that come with Vista Ultimate and Vista Business.
"Dell has the ability to exercise 'Windows Vista downgrade rights' on your behalf in the factory if ... you would prefer to have Windows XP Professional preinstalled on your PCs," said Dell on its website.
The loophole has allowed Dell to install Windows XP Professional for free on selected Latitude, OptiPlex and Precision systems aimed at business customers.
Dell will continue to offer XP Pro at a fee for consumers and small businesses buying Vostro and XPS gaming systems.
HP is also using the 'downgrade' loophole to sell XP-based systems until 30 July 2009.
Lenovo, meanwhile, is including an XP recovery disk on some Vista-based systems allowing owners to revert to the older OS if they choose.
The move will come as bad news for Microsoft which recently announced disappointing third-quarter financials, largely attributed to a year-on-year fall in the sales of Windows software.
© Incisive Media Investments Limited 2010, Published by Incisive Financial Publishing Limited, Haymarket House, 28-29 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4RX, are companies registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 04252091 & 04252093
Do you agree?
Sensationalist Poor Reporting...
Though Dell seems to be leveraging this as a marketing technique, this is by no means a loophole.
Business OS licensing has allowed downgrade rights for some time. This was available for XP downgraded to 2000, and has been, and will be available for Vista to XP for the entire life of Vista. Large OEMs have the ability to provide media to support this license right and may install it if authorized by the end user.
Not a loophole in the least. Businesses have traditionally required downgrade rights to support standardization and legacy applications. This was common practice when XP was released as well.
Posted by Mors, 28 Apr 2008
Too Baad for Microsoft
Windows XP can "...live on..." by the mighty efforts of companies like DELL, for all I care. I have recently completed a migration of all our PCs from XP to FEDORA (Linux, for the uninformed). All is well; everything works; no data was lost; AND we've been able to maintain data compatibility. VISTA *is* Microsoft's "Waterloo". So: Good Bye to MS; we don't need them anymore. Love and a Big Penguin Hug >>Jim
p.s. whatever happened to DELL's much-hyped "No O.S." or Ubuntu (Linux) in place of Windows on some of their PCs ? ? ?
Posted by Jim (Penguin Boi) Oliver, 28 Apr 2008
Vista is crapware
Vista is another "Bend over I have something to show you" product from the minds of Microsoft. Even with the SP1 update, it remains crapware. If MS thinks I am going to buy anymore of their junk, think again. Time for a Mac.
Posted by A Devine, 28 Apr 2008
Sounds like a sham to me
To keep XP one has to buy Vista. You call that "loop hole".
It's like to keep Cinderella one has to marry her sister!
Get an Apple and have a life.
Posted by PuWeiTa, 28 Apr 2008