Microsoft's public statement seems to leave no
wiggle room. It reads, "Windows XP will no longer be
available for purchase from Microsoft for general
retail and OEM partners as of June 30, 2008."
But
that simple statement hides plenty of loopholes.
First, retailers and PC makers can still sell the
Windows XP software, and Windows XP PCs, after that
date, as long as they purchased the products before
June 30. If a retailer stocked up on copies of XP
before June 30, it can sell XP for as long as those
supplies hold out. The same holds true for PC
manufacturers.
An even bigger loophole--something called
downgrade rights--will allow people to get Windows
XP on new PCs, even after computer makers' stock of
Windows XP licenses runs out. An OEM such as Dell
can sell you a PC that starts out with Vista
Business or Vista Ultimate on it, and then
downgrade the operating system to Windows XP
Professional before shipping the machine out to
you. In the box, you will receive discs for Vista,
XP, Vista drivers, and XP drivers. That way, if you
decide you'd prefer Vista, you can use the
installation disc and drivers to upgrade to that OS.
You can do this only with Vista PCs for which the
OEM has decided to offer downgrade rights, however.
A Dell spokesperson says that Dell will provide the
option for its XPS line of gaming PCs (the XPS M1730
laptop, XPS 630 gaming desktop, and XPS 730 gaming
desktop), for its line of Vostro small-business PCs,
and for enterprise customers. Dell won't offer the
choice indefinitely, though--only through January
31, 2009.
HP also offers a downgrade option on its business
desktops, notebooks, and workstations, and will
continue to do so until at least July 30, 2009, says
a company spokesperson. As with Dell PCs, when
someone buys a system, it will have XP Pro
installed, and will come with discs for both XP and
Vista.
January 31 of next year is also the last date
you'll be able to buy XP on a machine from a "system
builder"--a company that builds no-brand custom PCs
from components and purchases Microsoft software
from a distributor rather than directly from
Microsoft itself.
