Microsoft softens Windows XP restrictions

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

Microsoft softens Windows XP restrictions

by Brad Linder Jul 3rd 2008

Microsoft may have ceased offering Windows XP to retail customers, but that doesn't mean you can't get your hands on the venerable operating system. The company is allowing PC makers to offer customers a "downgrade" option if they purchase a new computer with Windows Vista Business or Ultimate. And Microsoft has been trying to fend off the Linux threat (more of a mosquito than an alien invasion) posed by ultra-low-cost laptops like the Asus Eee PC by allowing some cheap laptop makers to use XP.

Originally, Microsoft was only letting PC makers get away with that low-cost option if a PC met strict requirements. For example, it had to use 1GB of RAM or less, have a 10.2 inch or smaller display, and less than 80GB of storage capacity. Now IDG news is reporting that Microosft is easing off on some of those requirements.

Here's the new definition of an ULPC (Ultra Low Cost PC):

Display: 14.1 inch or smaller
Hard drive: 160GB or less
CPU: Single Core, and no more than 1GHz (with exceptions for low-power processors like the 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU used by the Eee PC 901, Acer Aspire One, and MSI Wind)
RAM: 1GB

Will this move be enough to help Microsoft maintain its market share? We're going to tentatively say yes, because honestly, we're not convinced that Linux-based laptops were going to make much of a dent anyway. Especially ULPC Linux based laptops, which are so cheap that many users are picking them up as second and third computers, not primary machines.

Tags: eee-pc, ulpc, windows-xp

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

LEo said 3:40PM on 7-03-2008

What is interesting is how is this going to constrain the development of UMPCs. If you want to sell an XP machine, you will have to play by the rules of Microsoft, and keep your machine under the restricted threshold. Would that slow down the development of more powerful UMPCs?

Brad Linder said 3:42PM on 7-03-2008

More powerful ones should be able to run Windows Vista without too many problems (although I'd love to see a customized version of Vista that takes less than 2 minutes to boot on a device without a blazing fast CPU).

whiskey said 9:54AM on 7-04-2008

The main concern here should be developing countries... Let's face it folks, we all need PC's but with Vista being as expensive as the whole new PC (if not more and not including Office software plus the extra charge for the downgrade)... Well it might just make things more difficult.

Using Linux on my laptop (Ubuntu 7.10) while working on somebody else's computer has made them ask me about it and has made some people realize that maybe it's time to change (be it a Mac or a PC with any flavor of Linux in most businesses).

To the home user, the alternatives are getting more exposure thanks to cibercaffes (or however you write it). Once they learn how to deal with the "differences" they begin to question why pay for MS stuff and why deal with all the troubles of software piracy (that to the common user translate to constant nagging from the OS and/or the inability to update it).

I do understand that Windows XP is needed and why (there are many apps there that simply have no port on Linux, like medical stuff or custom software). Even if Windows 7 is all that, having to buy new PC's every 2 years is something people on poor countries simply can't afford (nor governments for their schools neither businesses for their employees).

Maybe now Adobe wants to start porting their software to Linux? (crosses fingers).

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