You are here Home » Tech » Apps and Software » Just 4-Weeks, then Hasta la Vista Windows Vista

Just 4-Weeks, then Hasta la Vista Windows Vista

by Felix Omondi
Windows Vista

It looks like Windows Vista is about to join Windows XP and all other older versions of Windows OS in Microsoft’s museum volt for old operating systems. It is going to happen in a month’s time when the Redmond company will pull the plug off Windows Vista support.

Not to beat around the bush, come April 11, 2017, Microsoft will stop any further support for Windows Vista. That means any PC still running this old OS will no longer get any security updates, online technical content updates, non-security patches, nor free or paid assistance support.

After a decade of supporting Windows Vista, Microsoft thinks it is now time it moved on to support more important stuff. Like the Windows 10, 8, and perhaps Windows 7. Vista will go to retirement home and join its bigger siblings the Windows XP.

That is not to say that you will no longer be able to use the OS, but as Microsoft explains. Running unsupported OS leaves you at more security risks without a chance of any support from Microsoft.

Other Windows Vista apps long expired

Although Microsoft is just now making an official announcement that come April 11 2017 they will no longer be providing support for Vista. Some of the OS’s apps have been expired for a while now. Take, for instance, the Internet Explorer 9 has ceased getting Microsoft update for a long time now.

Post-April 11th, even if you have the Microsoft Security Essentials installed, the antivirus app will not be getting any update other than new signatures. Even that will only go on for so long before Microsoft stop giving new signatures updates.

The Good News

Well, very few people still run Vista on their PCs. NetMarketshare says Windows Vista makes up less than 2% of desktop market share. That is according to NetMarketshare report released back in March 2015.

Today, Vista’s market share is well below 0.78%, which is about half of Windows 8 market share (1.65%). Ironically, Windows XP market share is at 8%; seems like some people just don’t care about the lack of Microsoft security updates. Microsoft stopped Windows XP support back in April 2014.

You may also like