Ding, Dong, Windows XP is Dead

In 2001, Microsoft released its vision for how the general public could better use its computing platform in the form of a beautiful, easy-to-use operating system: Windows XP. At the height of its glory days, Windows XP dominated the market and decimated anything Apple had to offer. It was an unrelenting Goliath whose only real competitor was time itself. In fact, Windows XP held top-dog status until Windows 7 overtook it in 2012.

But times have changed. Now in 2014, XP has been relegated to the status of technologies of yesteryear like the steam engine, car phones and dial-up. Because of this, Microsoft has officially pulled the plug on offering support and updates for Windows XP users. Here’s the lowdown on how this massive change will transform the face of technology and what this means for you.

A Quick History of XP

Part of the NT family of operating systems, over 400 million copies of Windows XP have been sold globally since its general release.

A huge improvement over prior versions of Microsoft’s operating systems in terms of graphics, speed, stability and security, Windows XP was part of the new wave of technology. It was deemed to be a forerunner of the Information Age along with Internet 2.0 and Facebook. Additionally, the OS had expanded multimedia capabilities and many more drivers for printers and other devices. The product received critical acclaim from users and developers alike. Because it held such a large percentage of marketshare, the OS enjoyed an unusually long life-cycle.

Dynamics GP on XP

If you’re using the 2013 version of Dynamics GP, you’ve probably already moved away from XP since it is not a supported operating system for this version of GP. However, many people are still running Dynamics GP 2010, a version of Microsoft’s ERP that was fully compatible and supported in Windows XP. While Dynamics GP 2010 and XP are still compatible with each other, support for the OS is no longer available.  So, say you call Microsoft support and they ask what operating system you’re using, you will probably be informed that you’re not on a supported platform and need to upgrade.

The good news is that aside from XP, Dynamics GP 2010 itself will be fully supported by Microsoft until October of 2015, with extended support until October of 2017. So your only worries are getting off of XP.

The Cost Associated with Switching

There’s a lot of hesitation brewing from firms to move from XP to other Microsoft options, and for obvious reasons. After supporting the product for over a decade and giving companies limited choices to move forward with, the sheer cost of upgrading an entire office of operating systems has left many IT departments between a rock and a hard place.

Many are not happy with the cost, and understandably so. Moving from XP to Windows 8.1, for example, will cost roughly $200 per desktop for the software alone. Firms with larger numbers of desktops have less expensive options thanks to Microsoft’s corporate pricing plans.  The costs go beyond just software licensing. The cost to upgrade, obtain new drivers – which often may not be available for all devices, training and ongoing support can easily run into the thousands of dollars.

Additionally, new systems generally require more RAM, faster processors, larger disk space, updated graphics cards, etc. However, most companies running ERP systems on the desktop in an on-premise situation will have these concerns covered simply as a result of meeting the basic requirements of your ERP system version.

Cloud Issues

Now the bad news. Those of you who are in a hosted or Cloud environment may be using some older desktops with XP still running on them. With the current rate of technological growth and expansion, it may be easier just to donate the machines to charity. They will no longer receive support and upgrading the OS would simply be too much for the older computer versions to handle. But, if that’s the case, it’s probably time to secure newer hardware anyway and the cost for doing this is far less expensive today than it was ten years ago.

What Are My Options?

As it stands, Windows 8.1 is the most current operating system from Microsoft. Not everyone will endorse this version of Microsoft’s operating system, and many feel that Windows 7 is the more user-friendly and software-compatible OS to date.

Here’s the catch: mainstream support for Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 is currently slated to end in January of 2015, but with extended support continuing on till 2020. Therefore, users should be in the clear for at least another six years. Be sure to discuss support options with your Microsoft Partner to find which operating system will have the longest lifespan and also be the most compatible with your ERP.

With technology advancing at the rate that it is today, there won’t be many people left using XP for long. But for those also using a Microsoft ERP solution, it’s time to go ahead and upgrade if you haven’t already so that you not only get the most out of the latest OS, but to get the most out of your ERP system as well.

About the Author: Curt Finch is the CEO of Journyx, a Certified Microsoft Partner. Journyx maximizes the value of Microsoft Dynamics by adding enterprise time tracking. Journyx Accountlink for Microsoft Dynamics allows companies to quickly implement a complete time tracking solution using existing business data in Dynamics. Connect with Curt on Google+.

About Journyx

A Certified Microsoft Partner, Journyx enterprise time and expense tracking software is an add-on that integrates with Microsoft Dynamics GP as well as Project Accounting. Learn more at http://journyx.com/dynamics.

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