Microsoft Releases Windows XP End-of-Support Countdown Gadget

In March, Microsoft launched a campaign that would see the end of Internet Explorer 6 usage, and as we can now see, the company has added yet another aging software product to its list: Windows XP. To help countdown the official end-of-support date for XP, or encourage its desmise, Microsoft has launched a sidebar gadget for Vista and 7 that simply counts down the days to when XP’s support is pulled.

Yes, that’s absolutely, 100%, assuredly, positively, the only function of this gadget. Does it need to exist? Of course not, but for those who do wish to countdown the days, they’ll be doing so for quite a while, as the end-of-support date is the end of 2014.

As far as I’m concerned, this date can’t come soon enough! Windows XP is still an operable OS, but ever since Vista and 7 came out, it looks even more dated as the days pass. I realize many out there are still devout users of the OS, but there has to be a limit when the we’re surpassing 10 years of the original release. The total lack of important updates is bound to affect its users sooner or later.

It installs as a desktop gadget and it slowly ticks away the time that XP has left to live. Clearly Microsoft thinks that this is something for you to contemplate and if you make the gadget bigger it gives you a button to press to visit a website that will help wean you off your dependence on old technology.