Friday, August 23, 2013

Microsoft warns Nigerians to take Windows XP deadline seriously


The acting Country Manager for Microsoft West Africa, Mrs. Awawu Olumide-Sojinrin, has cautioned users of Windows XP and Office 2003 in Nigeria, to take the April 8, 2014 deadline for supporting these products seriously.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, she told DigitalSENSE Business News that the announcement is to reiterate the need for those using Windows XP and Office 2003 to commence migration plans to the likes of Windows 7 and 8 or even latest versions of Office, like Office 365 and Office 2013.

“So, we believe that way ahead of time, people should be looking up for what is needed to stay ahead of technology,” Mrs. Olumide-Sojinrin cautioned.

According to the Enterprise and Partner Group Marketing Manager, Mr. Seun Adaramola , It’s in order to have an improved security that Microsoft caters for improved services for its product consumers.

“That we properly cater for these products and customers are important to us,” he said, adding that a life cycle is usually given for a product to exist for about 10 years.

He stressed that come April 8, 2014 the support services for Windows XP will seize.

“Windows XP will no longer be serviceable,” he declared, adding though, people could still use it but there will be no gaurantee of providing security patches.

He pointed out that Microsoft sees the move to terminate support for some of its earlier products, especially with Windows XP as a way of improving productivity, especially now that most products are touch-sensitive, unlike what was obtained in year 2003 or earlier.

“In fact we want organisations to start migrating,” he asserted. Maintaining that by April 8, 2014 the support services for Windows XP will no longer exist and that means that even patches and other help will not be available on these products.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Corporation says the end of support for its Windows XP by Tuesday, April 08, 2014.

Also in Nigeria, the management of Microsoft in the West Africa most populated nation, Thursday, said its officially proclaiming an end for the support for Microsoft XP.

As said by sources close to Microsoft, who spoke to DigitalSENSE Business News  hinted that this notification has become necessary to enlighten the Information Technology (IT) consumers in this part of the world, especially corporate organisations and businesses on the dangers inherent in the continued use of Windows XP after April 08, 2014.

Additionally, some of these risks, DigitalSENSE Business News gathered include the loss of new security updates, non-security fixes or online technical support.

Further investigations by DigitalSENSE Business News showed that with its debut over 11 years on October 25, 2001, Windows XP was ruling the world of operating systems until 2005 when Microsoft began effort to scale up the known Windows XP's stable, usability, and fast before the introduction of Windows Vista, which held the scene between 2006 and 2008 and has been available in 25 languages.
The Windows XP came in two forms, namely the Home Edition desktop and XP Professionals.


Windows XP was released with a redesigned look and feel that's centered on usability and a unified help and support services center.

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