I can't say I've really noticed that & from what I've seen it's comparable resource-wise to Cinnamon etc. That said, one of the first things I do on a fresh install is disable certain effects that can make it seem sluggish (e.g. things like "fade").

I demand continued support for Microsoft Bob!

When their OS is -still- used at a corporate level at hundreds if not thousands of companies, they should at least keep tabs on it to cover severe security threats. But that should be it.

hmmm, i didn't try that
i liket PCLinuxOS with KDE it's fast and nice

After a certain amount of time, companies should update. Compare Microsoft's actions to Apple or Ubuntu. Even Ubuntu's LTS releases are only supported for 5 years, and Apple only generally pushes severe security updates to their older OS versions, and even that is limited to 3 versions back (keep in mind, Apple is on a faster release system so 3 versions back is still about 5 years).

People talk about going to the competition because of this but the competition is worse in this regard.

Not unless you pay them.

Yes, but this service pack would be the perfection of that. Windows XP should be so carefully optimized that it can be fitted on a mini-dvd! :L

Because that's what their PC came with, and most people don't upgrade Windows until they get a new PC (where it comes preloaded). So I guess it is simply a case of "I don't see why I should upgrade", or laziness, or being cheapskate, or the combination of all three.

And I use it for playing some old Windows games that I don't necessarily get to run satisfactorily on my newer PCs with newer Windows. I don't use those PCs anymore to go to net, except maybe very occasionally.

Who? At least in this thread almost everyone seemed to be amazed that MS still supports XP. A few complained that they don't like Windows 8 (understandable in a way), and some were talking about the option to switch to Linux.

In my case, HP dropped the support for the drivers after Vista 32 bit.

So I'm either with Windows XP or Vista32. The choice is obvious.

But as soon as I'm going to buy a new notebook, it's gonna have Win7 installed.

Well because it is just an OS and its primary goal is to run other programs?

LOL

I would say more. But to anyone with any sense the above conveys everything that needs to be said.

Yeah, that too of course. As I said earlier, newest Windows versions don't always seem to have drivers/support for some of the older hardware. I think in the Linux world things are peachier to the owners of old HW, as the free open source community churns out at least some kind of drivers and support even for old hardware.

This still costs money to do so though. You can purchase support from Microsoft if you refuse to upgrade. It seems to me that in no other realm other than software do people think that once you buy something you are entitled to updates for life.

technopriest from MS order - <<Chapter of the Blood Vultures>> -

...And, it´s predicted those who still remain with XP installed will be casted to the flames of the underworld to pet Cerberus and that those who seek redemption from their foulishness must embrace W8 in all its glory, hence your digital souls will be spared.
Failure in doing so will make you roam the limbo of XPishness open to the machinations of merciless creatures whose sole intent is to breach your box...

+100 to incredulity
-50% intelligence

Can be used indefinitely for a short period every 3 or so years

Wasn't MS forced to extend the Win2K support longer because of high retention rates? Given how resilient XP is, it wouldn't surprise me if they did so again.