Reminder: You Have 2 Weeks to the End of Support for Windows XP and Office 2003

Few technology readers shall be left not knowing that next Tuesday April 8 ends the life of Windows XP. From that date Microsoft will no longer support the operating system and in turn everyone who still use XP have to deal alone with any problems that arise and the potential risks of maintaining a system without updates.

Office 2003, the latest version of Microsoft's Office suite before the change to the 'Ribbon' interface will also not be supported by Microsoft from the same day. The importance of this version of Office give good faith the four years it took to develop a substitute in Redmond and has lasted ten years life cycle.

Windows XP and the consequences of the end of support.

A whole system will reach retirement and Windows XP would be less. Despite its huge success, even treasures nearly 30% of the PC market, the old XP already has too many years standing and Microsoft cannot continue to devote resources to maintain support indefinitely.

The end of support means that Microsoft will no longer update Windows XP. There will be no more patches to cover any new vulnerability which is discovered, or reach more hotfixes via Windows Update, or will have new service packs for the system. Microsoft will not provide more formal support to any problem or failure with the most popular operating system ever.

The direct consequence of this is that anyone who keeps Windows XP on their computers can be exposed to security risks and the threat of malware and new forms of attacks that attempt to exploit any vulnerability that is discovered. Moreover, any error that appear in the system will not be solved by Microsoft and force users to deal themselves, which is a waste of time and resources that implies.

Microsoft has also reminded us many times that use of an older operating system, such as Windows XP, carries a worse use of resources of our equipment. The system can also be adapted to new hardware not but will not be compatible with modern software. Therefore company recommend users to update soon to Windows 7 or Windows 8 and have launched a campaign to help in the process along with offering discounts on new Windows 8 PC’s.

Office 2003 and how we have changed

Will be less traumatic to the support of Office 2003. The version of the Microsoft Office Suite and has over 10 years between us and next April 8. As with Windows XP, those who decide to continue with this version will have to fend for themselves.

Much things have changed in these 10 years. With the release of Office 2003, Microsoft released new logo and first introduced InfoPath and OneNote in tools of the office suite. The 2003 was also the last version of Office with 'Clippy' of assistant and previous interface 'Ribbon'.

Like Windows XP, Office 2003 has been one of the software products to Microsoft's success. Although it is much more difficult to assess their current use when it is probably still running in many millions of computers out there. But the end is near and Microsoft trying to convince people that it is better to switch to Office 365 if possible, and to adapt to a very different world.