Windows XP lives on
By popular demand, Dell has resumed selling some computer models with Windows XP installed. Ars Technica reports:
Dell has decided to bring back Windows XP as an option for home users. In a brief announcement, the company said that it is once again selling consumer desktops and laptops with Microsoft’s last-generation OS preinstalled.
“We heard you loud and clear on bringing the Windows XP option back to our Dell consumer PC offerings,” reads the post. Four Inspiron laptops—the 1405, 1705, 1505, and 1501—along with two Dimension desktops—the E520 and E521—can now be purchased with either Windows XP Pro or Home instead of Vista.
Like many other manufacturers, Dell started phasing out Windows XP once Vista was released at the end of January. By mid-March, only two of its machines were available with XP preinstalled. Dell’s customers were unhappy with the move, and a suggestion on its IdeaStorm customer feedback site to bring XP back received over 11,000 votes.
In a related comment, Ed Bott says, Windows XP will be around a lot longer than you think. He writes:
It’s true that as of January 31, 2008, Microsoft will no longer distribute Windows XP licenses to its largest customers, the so-called royalty OEMs like Dell, Toshiba, Gateway, and Lenovo. It’s also true that Microsoft will stop stocking retail copies of Windows XP on that date. But Microsoft will continue selling OEM copies of Windows XP via its System Builder channel through January 31, 2009. two years after the retail release of Windows Vista. Your friendly local white-box builder will be happy to sell you a PC with Windows XP two years from now or later, using a legal copy of Windows XP from his stock. And there are no restrictions or licensing requirements to prevent you from purchasing a system builder copy of XP and building or refurbishing your own PC.
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