AMMAN — With Microsoft’s support for Windows XP ending in April, the international software giant recommended that users in Jordan upgrade to Windows 8 or 8.1 operating systems.
On April 8, support and updates for Windows XP will no longer be available.
In addition, anti-virus and software updates will eventually stop, Ayman Afaneh, Microsoft Jordan’s developer and platform evangelist lead, told The Jordan Times on the sidelines of a meeting Monday to launch Windows 8.1 in the Kingdom.
“I do recommend that those using Windows XP upgrade to Windows 8. When Microsoft stops supporting Windows XP, they can still use the software but are likely to face problems,” Afaneh said.
“When security and software updates stop... users of XP will be more vulnerable to cyber attacks and threats,” he added.
In a statement on its website, Microsoft said very few old computers will be able to run Windows 8.1, which is the latest version of Windows.
Citing studies by research firm Gartner, it indicated that most PC hardware manufacturers will stop supporting Windows XP on the majority of their new PC models.
“Microsoft has provided support for Windows XP for the past 11 years. But now the time has come for us, along with our hardware and software partners, to invest our resources towards supporting more recent technologies so that we can continue to deliver great new experiences,” Microsoft said.
During Monday’s meeting with the press, Afaneh announced the launch of Windows 8.1, noting that it “offers many unique features, including a multi-tasking option that enables users to simultaneously display and run several applications on a single screen”.
Windows 8.1 offers a host of increased customisation refinements and functional improvements, including an enhanced and more adaptable start screen so that each Windows device is tailored to the individual, a Microsoft statement said.
Windows 8.1 brings back the start button as a familiar point of navigation.
The operating system also provides native support for 3-D printing, enabling apps to seamlessly print 3-D jobs and understand 3-D file formats.
