About 21% of computers worldwide still use Windows XP, according to Stat Counter, even though Microsoft has long announced that on April 8, 2014, it will stop providing support for the 13-year-old version of its operating system. Naturally, the American company's decision does not mean that from the next day, Windows XP machines will stop working. However, it does mean a series of "side effects", particularly important for businesses, which Microsoft is here to remind you of.
Such a “side effect” concerns exposure to security and compatibility risks, a major concern for all businesses. Computers that are unsupported and have not received updates are vulnerable to security risks. In fact, a recent study by Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing showed that Windows XP is 5 times more vulnerable to risks and attacks than Windows 8.1.
Simultaneously, after April 8, application developers who have developed products for Windows XP will not issue new upgrades for existing applications and will not create new solutions for them. In other words, any solutions that exist in the current Windows XP will remain as they are, in terms of features and improvements. Therefore corporate machines will cease to evolve.
The American giant also claims that, in reality, upgrading to Windows 8.1 costs less than maintaining old machines with outdated software. And this because, according to research (Techaisle, 2013), small businesses spend on average $427 on repairs for computers that are 4 years old or older, with collateral loss and the lost hours for solving problems.
