While Microsoft is keen for us to move to Windows Vista, we've got other ideas. With a brand-new service pack and a slew of useful add-ons XP works better than ever. Here are 50 tools that can extend XP's useful working life still further.
Extend XP today, for free
Failure to launch
You see, in the 16 months since the OS launched, it's fair to say we tried – and failed – to convince you of the wisdom of making the move to Vista. It's a decent enough OS, but hardly the revelation that XP was or anything similar to the revolutionary way of working that Mac fans enjoyed when Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) launched.
With few compelling applications available and hardly anything of note to entice the business user, it's little wonder that Vista is regarded as a damp squib. Microsoft still claims the OS's installed base is on track to overtake that of XP, but that will depend on whether it holds firm on its plans to reduce the availability of XP licences in June 2008.
But what of the refuseniks? At the last count, more than 100,000 people had signed up to our sister site InfoWorld's campaign to make Microsoft extend the lifecycle of the popular, reliable and generally well-liked Windows XP.
We shouldn't be all that surprised at the force of resistance. For anyone with a half-decent PC and a good working knowledge of the way it operates, Windows Vista held – and still holds – little appeal.
At PC Advisor, we're pretty gung-ho about grabbing the latest technology and running with it. But with the exception of the odd laptop and a couple of dual-booted PCs, we're still largely XP users. In this, we think we're probably in line with most of our tech-savvy readers. There's nothing wrong with XP and we'll continue to use it for as long as Microsoft allows.
That's not to say it can't be improved, however. We've no idea just how many ways there are to customise Windows XP, but in the six years since it launched we reckon we've covered a few thousand tweaks and tools that make an XP PC uniquely yours.
NEXT PAGE: XP: Trick or tweak? > >
- 50 tools to help extend Windows XP
- Vista's failure to launch
- XP: Trick or tweak?
- XP-alidocious!
- Windows XP – your rights
- Windows XP – Support goes on
- Market pressure
- The save XP campaign
- How to downgrade to XP
50 free Windows XP tools
- Office optimising tools for XP
- Five essential XP add-ons
- XP browser boosters
- Five essential XP web-browser add-ons
- Extra media muscle for XP
- Five media boosters for XP
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Comments
Ron Graves said: My mistake - if you close the donation request FireFTP appears
The Watcher said: Hey Ron Ill give you a dollar This article is really useful more please
Ron Graves said: FireFTP is NOT free You can download it but it wont run unless you make a donation first This apparently can be as little as 1 but its not a freebie so why is it here
Ron Graves said: I dont know which Firefox addons Woodburner had problems with but those Ive looked at gave me no problems at all
woodburner said: I tried to download several of the Firefoxaddons but on each occasion I received the message Microsoft can not find the associated file was this not checked before you published article
Regmon said: My sincere apologies if there are 50 Free Tools but I never got to them through all the Anti-Vista stuff and still believe that such tactics will put off potential customers far more than encourage them
The watcher said: there are 50 free tools but seems odd to make people read 9 pages of anti Vista first
Regmon said: This sort of false description of an article probably does more to discourage customers from buying the mag than anything else If you have 50 Free Toolsby all means shout it from the rooftops If you haventdont tell ouright lies
Hanea said: Just Another Anti Vista article I am really sick of these type of articles Especially when they try to promote other OSs between the lines Leopard I stopped reading at page 9 because I got bored from waiting for the great 50 free tools for XP I just shutdown reading this Guys be objective and try to bring a real benefit for your readers not just dump the anti Vista content templates that I have been reading all over the web The same thing every where Come on Move over I am using both Vista and XP and happy with them the most Every one has a place for me but not Leopard neither Ubuntu
Rob said: Nine pages of anti Vista then some XP stuff and not even the best free tools for XPWaste of time
Catweazle said: Theres a bit of a typo in this article - it says speaking of Vista downgrade to XP Clearly it should be Upgrade to XP