Windows XP

Windows XP: Legacy Operating System

Windows XP is a personal computer operating system produced by Microsoft, released in October 2001, offering a legacy experience for users with compatible hardware.

What is Windows XP?

Windows XP is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is part of the Windows NT family of operating systems.

Windows XP was released for retail sale on October 25, 2001, and over 400 million copies were in use by January 2006. It was succeeded by Windows Vista in January 2007.

Windows XP featured an updated user interface, improved networking and multimedia abilities, updated security, and more. Key new features included the personalized user accounts, ClearType font rendering, and an improved networking infrastructure. It also included Windows Media Player 8 and Windows Movie Maker.

Windows XP received four major service packs as well as minor updates to improve software compatibility and add new features. It was widely adopted both domestically and internationally, often receiving significantly higher customer satisfaction ratings than Windows Vista or Windows 8.

Windows XP remained popular even after the release of newer versions, particularly due to concerns over software compatibility and performance. It retained significant market share into 2008, and only started to rival systems like Windows 7 in 2011.

While Microsoft officially discontinued Windows XP support on April 8, 2014, updates continued softwares problems. As of 2020, just under 1% of traditional PCs still run Windows XP.

Windows XP Features

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