Microsoft Hints at Extended XP AvailabilityMicrosoft Hints at Extended XP Availability

Windows XP may still be available after June 30 if enough customers want it, according to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.Speaking at a news conference in Belgium, Ballmer said: "XP will hit an end-of-life. We have announced one. If customer feedback varies we can always wake up smarter." Ballmer pointed out that "we still have customers who are buying PCs with XP," because business customers often are still supporting older PCs that are not capable of running Vista.

Nevertheless, Ballmer said, consumers are buying Vista in large numbers -- which is no surprise, considering that most newly purchased computers come with the new OS. And at present, mainstream computers with XP are still scheduled to come off market by the end of June, though XP will still be available for what Microsoft calls "ultra low-cost PCs."CNET News, The Register