What will you do when Windows XP support ends?

I'm wondering , since I still have one XP box (its actually installing XP right now) that is going to run XP and the programs that I have that won't work on Windows 7 (including games that wouldn't play well in Virtual PC) and I have a Windows 7 license for it, but it's one of those stupid OEM licenses that if I used it I would be breaking Microsoft's license terms. So, what will you do with your remaining XP boxes once support ends on April 8, 2014? Also, any tips to help keep XP secure even after support ends are welcome.

All I have left using it is a old... nearly ancient laptop that I haven't even pulled out of my pack in many months. Since I've all but quit using it already thanks to my smartphone and the fact that there are computers pretty much everywhere I go anyhow. I'll probably just let it sit in the closet until the end of time now.

If microsoft wanted to do something really cool, they'd pull all the copy protection from it. An allow it to be shared under a creative commons license. That would be of great benefit to a great many people. They've pretty much run the profit dry on it anyhow.

Maguscreed said:

All I have left using it is a old... nearly ancient laptop that I haven't even pulled out of my pack in many months. Since I've all but quit using it already thanks to my smartphone and the fact that there are computers pretty much everywhere I go anyhow. I'll probably just let it sit in the closet until the end of time now.

If microsoft wanted to do something really cool, they'd pull all the copy protection from it. An allow it to be shared under a creative commons license. That would be of great benefit to a great many people. They've pretty much run the profit dry on it anyhow.

Yea, but I read a comment on an article talking about open sourcing it would be a good idea and the commenter said that since there si XP code used in Windows 7 today, people could build a really good os that is similar to Windows 7 for free.

Competition is a good thing. I wish there was something to truly combat windows on the market. free or not.
As it stands being forced to choose between mac and pc, well it's never going to be an issue for me. I enjoy my games and like being able to fix my own computer when something goes wrong with it.

...and don't dare try to tell me linux is an option. It is not an option for a normal user. It just isn't for too many reasons to list. I understand the support it gets and people are very diehard for it. They want it to be that 3rd option, they even love it. It just doesn't change the reality of the fact linux is NOT user friendly.

I'm steering off topic.

I only have XP on old crap test boxes anyway. I'm not really worried about security there at all.

windude,
Following options come to mind:
1. Use as door stop,
2. Use as boot anchor,
3. Use as weight on fishing / crabbing line.

Seriously, just keep using XP. The system won't crash and burn. If you plan to access the internet, then I would recommend installing a good free AV and then updating the AV regularly.

That's if you are using MSE, since you will no longer be receiving MSE updates.

actually as xp inevitably falls out of favor after this.
It's likely viruses targeting it will become far less common too, as they target holes in the newer os's.

Maguscreed said:

actually as xp inevitably falls out of favor after this.
It's likely viruses targeting it will become far less common too, as they target holes in the newer os's.

Well, the bad thing is that a lot of the malware targeting newer os's vulnerabilities affects XP also.

We still have 2 more years. Are people really going to be clinging onto too many boxes? If so, they probably don't care that much about updates anyway.

Well building my new machine about bankrupted me so I can't blame people that don't game and don't feel they really NEED the newer more powerful machine, for holding on to anything that works.

Regardless of what the news tells you we are still in the midst of a world wide recession after all.