Computers: Windows XP End Of Life: Will it stop working?!

I was asked:  Is it true that Windows XP is going to stop working come April/End of life/etc?  Will my computer stop working?  Should I upgrade to the latest Windows?

My short answer:  No.

My long answer:  No, but you'll have a great security risk if your computer is connected to the internet or another network.

It's not going to simply die on you.  It'll still work.  Microsoft is going to stop releasing updates for it.  The best analogy I can come up with off the top of my head is this.  You move into a new house in 2001.  It has five locks on the door and all the windows are barred.  The fire escape is three stories up and only comes down if you try to walk down.  So, it's pretty darned near impossible to break into the house.

Every time a thief finds a way to break one of your locks, your locksmith calls you up and says, "Hi.  You're not going to be able to use your doors for a while.  I'm going to change the locks so thieves can't get in as easily."  You then wait for him to complete his work, and finally, you can either leave or come back inside.  Your house is safe again, provided you keep letting him do this.

This goes on for thirteen years.  Suddenly, your locksmith says, "I am no longer going to work on those locks anymore.  You'll have to upgrade your doors to these heavy-duty steel ones with ten new locks, or I'm not going to work for you anymore."  You ignore him and you can still get in and out of your house and use the doors and the locks.  However, you stop getting phone calls.  You're very lucky, nobody breaks in for several years, despite the bars on the windows rusting out, the fire escape hanging, and the locks having been figured out by every thief on the block.  All you know is that you haven't had to wait to leave or get back in in quite a while.  This is great!!  And you didn't have to buy a new door or go through the hassle or anything!  But, one day, someone breaks into all your locks and steals everything in your house.

At that point you take a long, hard look at the decision to not upgrade and go, "Was it worth it?"

Maybe not such a great analogy, but that's what Windows Security is like.  You can still use the products, but they become less and less safe when you're online.

~nv