Farewell XP - RGA

Farewell, Old Friend

This month marks the end of an era. Effective April 8, 2014 - Microsoft's support for Windows XP has come to a grinding halt. There will be no future updates. No more security patches.
That doesn't mean that Windows XP is totally dead. It will continue to run just fine--for now.

But cyber criminals see this news as an open invitation to exploit older PCs. If your Windows XP workstation has access to the internet, hackers consider it a vulnerable gateway to your confidential files. Sooner or later, they'll discover a new chink in Windows XP's armor--one for which there will be no security patch. You can be sure they'll jump at the chance to expoit it.

Smart IT administrators realize this. So even if you love your XP computer, it's time to come to grips with the reality that the era of XP is over. Like it or not: prepare to move on.
"But you say, "what about my old custom software application? It won't run on new computers."

If your favorite custom software program won't launch on newer operating systems, what choices do you have? Here are a few suggestions:

* Research whether a commercial, off-the-shelf replacement will meet your needs. For example, if you used your older software program to generate invoices and track Accounts Receivable--realize that programs like Quickbooks and Peachtree handle this functionality very well. Making the switch to off-the-shelf software, or web-based services might seem like a daunting proposition. But give it serious consideration; it will almost certainly be your most cost-effective option.

* If you can't find anything out there that meets your company's specific needs, get quotes from several software developers. Find out how much they'll charge to upgrade your software. I'd suggest making your decision based on several factors--not just price alone. Ask for references. Ask the developer for details on what programming language(s) they'll use, whether the solution will be desktop-based, or cloud-based. Ask what additional costs (if any) you might incur with their solution. And find out what sort of maintenance and support options are available.

* If you decide that you simply can't make any changes right now, you can probably limp by using a virtual machine application, which lets you to run a Windows XP session on newer equipment. If you decide to go this route, be sure to test the configuration. Typically, we've seen that printing reports and documents from a virtual XP environment can be problematic.

Windows XP was a solid, user-friendly operating system. I’m sorry to see it retire. If you need help migrating an application or two, feel free to email us.