Microsoft, XP and Large Public Service Networks

prospero · 01 Jul 2013

In the UK I'm seriously concerned about Microsoft pulling support for XP from next year. Our National Health Service and many other large public services, probably including our Tax and Revenue Service and our Department of Social Security and our Department of Work and Pensions depend on XP for their database support, even the Military for all I know. So are MS holding us to ransom? Updating these systems will cost £100 billions and will take years to implement.
These are difficult economic times world-wide, does corporate profit override national security and well-being?

z3r010 · 01 Jul 2013

An OS doesn't last forever and end of life dates have been known for many years so any IT dept that hasn't already planned for this is completely incompetent, you cant expect Microsoft to keep supporting an operating system that was bought in 2001 for nothing in return.

kado897 · 01 Jul 2013

NHS IT is incompetent as many failed IT projects have shown.

Layback Bear · 01 Jul 2013

Even a dummy like me at home knew my old computer and hardware with XP was going to go to computer heaven. I have been warned for years by Microsoft. I'm also aware that Windows 7 will not be supported by Microsoft forever.
One must live in a cave with a big rock in front of the opening without internet not to know this.

Fantail · 01 Jul 2013

Sorry, but EOL on XP has been known for quite some time. A lack of action on an administration does not constitute an emergency for MS.

Layback Bear · 01 Jul 2013

Why would it be a emergency for Microsoft? They put out Widnows 7 in 2009. They did their job.
They can't make people or governments buy the great operations system.
I do wonder how many companies have put in bids to try to upgrade the governments computer system and for how many years.

LMiller7 · 01 Jul 2013

At the present time Microsoft is supporting XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8, plus server 2003, Server 2008, and Server 2012, plus a few others. This support is expensive, consumes considerable resources, and provides no revenue. It is unreasonable to expect Microsoft to continue support for older operating systems indefinitely. And it is not like Microsoft is suddenly springing this on an unsuspecting public. The date of termination of support for XP and what this will mean has been documented and freely available for years.

This does have implications for corporate IT departments, but it is much more serious for home users. Most XP users are running with an admin account, usually with a weak password, or in some cases, non at all. Most have an enabled and totally unsecured Administrator account with no password. Data is stored on the local machine, often (usually) without any backups. Many systems have direct connections to the Internet. Home computer users typically know little to nothing about security. Home systems need all the help they can get to be secure.

Things are very different in the corporate world. Most users are using a limited account with a password that meets established specifications and must be changed regularly. Data is stored on a well protected server that is backed up regularly. Internet access is through a central firewall and through a proxy server. And all backed by a professional support staff.

I know things aren't always like that but these companies have only themselves to blame. An XP computer can be very secure if the time efforts is taken to make it so. Microsoft has provide many security tools and the documentation to properly use them. It s not Microsoft's fault if they choose not to.

prospero · 02 Jul 2013

I got a lot of hits on this post and I can't disagree with the criticism. The wheels of public services in this country grind extremely slow and we're also hampered by EU law which says all contracts must go to companies all over Europe. Our administration is Victorian; it would take years (a) for a final contract to be signed, then (b) years for it to be implemented. I'm sure that the IT guys in our Civil Service were well aware of the situation from day one.
The contract will eventually go to the lowest bidder, will go well over the original budget and well beyond the promised completion date and then there will be years at extra expense sorting out the bugs.
Governments in this country are transient, with shuffles of responsibility in all major departments every year or so.
I'm not "living in a cave behind a rock", I'm just facing up to reality.
Microsoft have a business to run but MS live in the present, unfortunately the UK administration lives in the past.
My sincere apologies to any of you I might have offended, but that's the way it is here in the UK.
Whatever happens, I acknowledge that it's not Microsoft's fault, the problem is here in the UK and the EU.

Stephanie · 02 Jul 2013

I think there will be a lot of this and its not Microsoft's fault its time some administrations got there ass in gear :)

kado897 · 02 Jul 2013

prospero said:

I got a lot of hits on this post and I can't disagree with the criticism. The wheels of public services in this country grind extremely slow and we're also hampered by EU law which says all contracts must go to companies all over Europe. Our administration is Victorian; it would take years (a) for a final contract to be signed, then (b) years for it to be implemented. I'm sure that the IT guys in our Civil Service were well aware of the situation from day one.
The contract will eventually go to the lowest bidder, will go well over the original budget and well beyond the promised completion date and then there will be years at extra expense sorting out the bugs.
Governments in this country are transient, with shuffles of responsibility in all major departments every year or so.
I'm not "living in a cave behind a rock", I'm just facing up to reality.
Microsoft have a business to run but MS live in the present, unfortunately the UK administration lives in the past.
My sincere apologies to any of you I might have offended, but that's the way it is here in the UK.
Whatever happens, I acknowledge that it's not Microsoft's fault, the problem is here in the UK and the EU.

I totally agree.