Microsoft will soon consign Windows Vista to the dustbin of history. In April 2017, the life of one the worst versions of Windows ever released will come to an end. At which point you should seriously consider upgrading to Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10. Pick your poison!
Windows Vista will die on April 11, 2017, at which point Microsoft will pull all support for the much-maligned operating system. So, if you're running Vista, the time has come to upgrade to a newer version of Windows. Something you should have done a long time ago, to be perfectly honest.
Microsoft Calls Time on Windows Vista
Microsoft launched Windows Vista on January 30, 2007. Unfortunately, Microsoft's new operating system was met with a barrage of negative reviews. As is Microsoft's way, the company has continued supporting Vista for the last 10 years, but its time is now up.
According to a Microsoft Support page, after April 11, 2017, Windows Vista users will "no longer receive new security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options, or online technical content updates from Microsoft".
Microsoft explains that after supporting Vista for 10 years, "the time has come for us, along with our hardware and software partners, to invest our resources towards more recent technologies so that we can continue to deliver great new experiences".
It should be noted that this doesn't mean your Vista-powered PC will suddenly stop working. However, without support from Microsoft it will slowly but surely become more susceptible to viruses, malware, and other security risks. Especially as Microsoft is also ending support for Microsoft Security Essentials on Vista.
Wait, Windows Vista Is Still a Thing?
According to NetMarketshare, Windows Vista has a 0.78 percent market share amongst desktop users. Which is less than half of the 1.65 percent still using Windows 8, and a fraction of the 8.45 percent market share enjoyed by Windows XP. Which suggests most people will be learning Windows Vista is still a thing just prior to its death.
Regardless, there's still a pang of sadness to see Windows Vista being euthanized. This unloved operating system may not be mourned with the same reverence shown to Windows XP, but its demise will nonetheless adversely affect the handful of people still using Vista.
Are you still using Windows Vista? If so, why? What made you stick with Windows Vista for so long? Was Windows Vista really all that bad? Will you be upgrading to Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10? Or switching from Windows to Linux? Please let us know in the comments below!
Image Credit: hdaniel via Flickr