More And More Windows XP Users Start Jumping Ship

Microsoft and its partners may have talked and talked about the risks of staying with Windows XP beyond the retirement date, but the user base seems to have taken its time planning their upgrades.

Now, however, it is becoming clear that more and more Windows XP users are jumping ship.

An independent software testing firm has confirmed that with around six months left until Microsoft pulls the plug off of its aging operating system, users are starting to move away from the platform. Both Windows 7 and Windows 8 are the two preferred destinations.

In a recent interview, Angela Nash, of Qual IT revealed that her company is seeing a notable surge in the number of users that have initiated the transition from XP:

“With a little over six more months to go before the end date, the company is seeing a surge in businesses approaching them to transition all PCs and applications to Windows7 or 8.

Since an operating system upgrade affects every single user in a business, any change has the capacity to inflict severe delay, cost, or in the case of finance or compliance applications, introduce a very high level of risk for a business.”

Redmond would, for obvious, reasons be hoping that an overwhelming majority of these users choose Windows 8 — the company would prefer not having another Windows XP situation with Windows 7 in the future, once the time comes for the retirement of the most popular OS in the world.

Plus, it would also mean the growth of the company’s Modern operating platform and its ecosystem.

Windows XP, meanwhile, is set for official discontinuation on April 8, 2014 with Microsoft revealing that it wants to see the market share of the ancient operating system fall down to around the 13 percent range, from its current highs of 33 percent.