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#1
Hmmm not exactly information from an unbiased source.
Source -Undoubtedly, Windows XP continues to get a consistent amount of love from its very loyal users, after all, the OS continues to run on over 65.49% of computers worldwide. Citing findings from Market research firm Techaisle, Microsoft is warning that ignoring Windows 7 and failing to upgrade computers while choosing to ride Windows XP for all it’s got on older hardware comes with inherent financial costs. Techaisle indicates that the maintenance costs of older PCs running XP can be as much as 1.5 times higher than for newer Windows 7-based machines.
Ignore Windows 7, Stick with XP and It Will Cost You - According to Microsoft - Softpedia
Hmmm not exactly information from an unbiased source.
I keep warning my customers of this - sticking with XP, while it may be familiar, will eventually kill you. Maintenance costs, lower security...they all add up.
Cost. Not everyone can afford to do the various upgrades for various reasons.
For computer enthusiasts this is true, for the average everyday internet/e-mail user, (which far outnumbers us enthusiasts) not so true. In fact, I'm 50/50 on the issue of whether you need a 64-bit OS or not...but that's a debate for another time, and thread :)
Not everyone needs\wants the latest and greatest, however I do agree that upgrading to the latest OS enhances security and other features, especially as more and more people do more and more things online, i.e. banking and financial transactions.
My two cents
Yeah the transition from XP to W7 should happen "naturally" whatever that means to the person or group.
Meaning it should not be adversely avoided for long periods of time, it just makes more work in the end. People should be doing whatis necessary to transition now, so that when they DO upgrade their hardware, they are ready and don't have to spend time downgrading to XP every time a new machine or laptop comes into the building. (That single act alone nllifies the cost of W7 completely).
Then upgrades in hardware can proceed on an as needed basis.
This requires some up front work to offset much MORE work later, and that's a concept that is in short supply in most places. Always has been and always will be I'm afraid.
Where i live, and the cost of electricity, the ability of 7 to sleep and wake up correctly every time, lets the power saving features pay itself off pretty quickly.
Just because it wasn't taken off the shelf at Best Buy last week does not mean it's obsolete. I don't know about anyone else, but I think it's kind of stupid to waste money replacing tools that still work, especially when a new one isn't going to do the job any better.