Microsoft is giving Windows XP yet another break, this time permitting custom PC builders to keep on ordering the older OS until the end of May. This is the latest move Microsoft has made to stretch out the life of XP in reaction to resistance from both computer makers and consumers to the Windows Vista operating system. Windows XP was scheduled to vanish on January 30, 2008. But Vista’s unpopularity with consumers has forced Microsoft to broaden the life of the older XP.  Larger PC makers, including HP and Dell, had their deadline to offer XP extended until June 30, 2008, though even after then consumers can go back to XP at an additional cost.

The latest decision affects smaller, custom PC makers who originally had until January  31, 2009, to place orders for XP licences, but now have until May 30. Microsoft has already stated that it will end technical support for the consumer version of XP in April 2009, while the company will continue to support the business version until 2014. Manufacturers of smaller, lower-power laptop machines can also continue to offer XP until June 30, 2010, as these computers do not offer Vista.

Microsoft has already announced its is developing Vista’s replacement, Windows 7, which is expected to be released at the end of 2009.

Windows remains the dominant operating system for computers, but in November its share of the market dipped blow 90% for the first time. The decrease was the biggest in the past 2 years, the company stated, and offset several recent gains. This survey looked a a combination of 3 versions of the operating system: Vista, XP and Windows 2000.