This article first appeared on Microsoft.com

The future of Windows XP

The future is here, and it's better than ever with Windows 7, the latest Microsoft operating system. Windows 7 has proven benefits over earlier versions of Windows. It combines the latest in reliability, security, and responsiveness with the familiarity and compatibility of Windows XP, so you’ll feel right at home, right away.

We know you love Windows XP, and you're in good company. Millions of Windows XP users are fans of the operating system, and many depend on Windows XP to run earlier applications and hardware that is not compatible with Windows 7. Windows 7 is designed to be compatible with the most popular hardware and software products you use every day and even though we can no longer purchase Windows XP after October 22, 2010, Microsoft still plans to provide support for Windows XP until April 2014. The Microsoft Support Lifecycle explains it all.