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• Posted Oct. 25, 2014, 8 a.m. - 10 years ago

A look back at the official release of Windows XP, 2001

On the 25th October, 2001, Microsoft released its latest offering, Windows XP.

 

Bill Gates said at the time; “Simply put, Windows XP is the best operating system Microsoft has ever built.”

 

The Home Edition and the Professional package promised to unlock the full potential of individual’s computers and allow users to do simply amazing things with their PC’s and laptops, such as:

 

• Download organise and share all of their individual photographs
• The use of an all I one place to keep and purchase music
• The enjoyment of instant messaging, or IM
• Allowing the use of video messaging also, suitable for communicating with friends, family, colleagues and business connections
• Means to share computers and devices at home or work easily

 

Windows XP also had a whole host of other great functions, including built in features like; built in support for Wi-Fi problems and CD burning problems, Internet Explorer 6 web browser, a revamped interface and system managed console which set up apart from the previous releases, Windows 2000 and Windows ME.

 

To this day, Windows XP can still be found on nearly 25% of the desktops used in the world. As the 2nd most installed desktop operating systems found in the world, it is used in many different places, such as government buildings, banks, automated machines and found predominately in China and India.  However, despite its successes and the fact that users liked to use it, Microsoft pulled the plug on offering support, and as of 8th Aril earlier this year, 13 years after its release, Windows XP no longer receives any support, users no longer get tech support and another iconic operating system has, bitten the dust.

 

Microsoft XP, like many before and since it, encountered may bug issues during its years, and subsequently, Microsoft realised three services packages between 201 and 2009 to fix the bugs and security issues.

 

So, although Windows XP is fast becoming a thing of the past, with modern day users switching to Windows 7, or up to Windows 8, XP will always be remembered by those of a certain age and will go down in history for what it was able to offer at the time, setting it apart from the rest.

 

And since the release after Windows XP was Windows Vista, Windows XP will continue to look amazing compared to Vista, which was widely criticized by critics and users alike.

 

Image credit:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Microsoft_Windows_XP_Logo_2.svg

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