Doomsday looms for Windows XP users

It”™s estimated that nearly one in three active computers will need to be replaced this year as Microsoft ends technical support for Windows XP in April.

Windows XP has dominated PC computers since its introduction 12 years ago. However, many say it”™s time for an upgrade, and an urgent one at that.

For business owners who choose not to upgrade, a doomsday scenario is an imminent possibility, said Robert Cioffi, co-owner of Progressive Computing Inc. in Yonkers. Without support, computers running on XP will be vulnerable to viruses and major security risks, he said.

Microsoft, which regularly releases security upgrades and patches to protect against viruses, will no longer provide the service for XP after April 8.

Cioffi discussed the issue in a question-and-answer session with the Business Journal.

Realistically, what will happen if businesses don”™t upgrade?

Businesses that continue to use Microsoft end of life (EOL) products knowingly put themselves at an extremely high risk. EOL means that Microsoft will no longer release patches (bug and security fixes) for these versions. It also means they will no longer provide support for them.

Continuing to use these products doesn”™t mean they will suddenly stop working. However, their continued use is a major security risk. Without frequent security patches from Microsoft these systems will be much more vulnerable to computer viruses and malware. Some security experts are speculating that a wave of new spyware and viruses will be unleashed after April 8 because the security flaws will never be fixed after that date and IT personnel will be severely hampered without Microsoft support. Hackers might be able to run amok with smug impunity by stealing data, or by using your systems to launch attacks against other targets.

Furthermore, businesses affected by regulations such as PCI and HIPAA/HITECH compliance face potential fines and litigation if they do not take prudent steps to maintain proper IT security. Running Windows XP certainly would constitute negligence on the part of the business.

Owners and compliance officers should take this warning seriously as some regulations pierce the corporate veil and can hold individuals personally accountable. When you consider the risks, the upfront expenditure is small. Unfortunately, most people don”™t consider the consequences with enough gravity until it is too late.

Why did the Windows XP system last so long?

Windows XP was a rock solid platform that had a wide range of support and a vast array of available compatible hardware and software. Businesses came to rely on its day-in and day-out performance.

When Microsoft later released Windows Vista, it had some initial glitches with hardware support that left consumers with a poor perception and resulted in a large amount of negative press. This created a situation wherein many business owners were unwilling to leave the very stable XP platform to try something new.

Windows 7, released in 2009, is superior to XP in all major benchmarks. The vast majority of companies that have moved from XP to Windows 7 have had a fairly good transition.

What costs are associated with upgrading to Windows 7 or Windows 8?

If you have a system running Windows XP, it was likely purchased at least five years ago. In “computer years” this means the hardware itself has reached its natural end of life. So in nearly all cases, we are upgrading by attrition and replacing the whole system. Therefore the cost of the upgrade is the cost of a new computer. The good news is that there are a lot of exciting hardware options available at reasonable prices. However, people often make classic mistakes when shopping for new hardware and focus solely on price. A properly configured system considers hardware warranty, RAM, and software licenses such as Microsoft Office to name a few. The cost can range between $1,000-1,500 depending on some of these variable factors. Spending the right money on computers avoids the soft costs of lower productivity or replacing it before you should be.

What should business owners keep in mind when choosing new computers?

There are a lot of options to consider. First, we are urging clients to consider Ultrabook class laptops because of their super lightweight, solid battery life and overall performance. They are a bit more expensive than a traditional laptop, but once you pick one up you will not want to put it down. Second, we have been installing desktops with dual monitor capability for quite some time now. The extra cost of a second monitor is far outweighed by the additional productivity gains of having two screens. Dual monitors help you multitask by avoiding the constant minimizing and maximizing of programs on just one screen. Imagine writing an email on one monitor while looking at a spreadsheet on the other. Some power users are now asking for a third monitor because it really saves a lot of time.

Why should small business owners care about what kind of operating system their computers use? Does it affect the bottom line?

Sometimes people forget that XP is a 12-year-old operating system. Enormous improvements have been made in the world of technology in this time, and the computing experience on a modern platform is vastly superior to that on an XP machine. In an age where there is so much emphasis on productivity, it”™s counter intuitive to expect such an old system to offer the best performance. As mentioned above, there are also myriad issues related to security and network integrity. A data breach can put a small business out of business.