Digital bytes

It was a good run, Windows XP

Even though nearly 47 percent of businesses are still using it, Microsoft is putting Windows XP out to pasture.

For the many, many businesses that are still running on Windows XP, Microsoft has a message. Move on, already! As of April 8, the software giant will no longer support the XP version of its flagship Windows operating system. (See our corresponding story on Page 18.) This is a problem for the businesses that are still running XP, three software generations after it debuted. The 12-year-old software system has earned a reputation for being stable and reliable. The added bells and whistles of Microsoft’s more recent offerings haven’t been enough to convince them to upgrade.

This is a problem, because after the end-of-life date for the venerable system, Microsoft will cease its relentless procession of security updates for the XP system. A fall 2013 study by Dimension Research showed that 47 percent of businesses worldwide had not upgraded their operating system from Windows XP to Windows 7 or 8. If they don’t fork up the money and upgrade, all of those businesses would become vulnerable to numerous security threats.

Of course, they’ve got their reasons for standing pat. The old adage, “if it’s ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies here. Windows XP was extremely successful. XP’s immediate successor, Windows Vista, was routinely derided as a bloated mess from the very beginning. That resulted in many companies holding out until the next operating system arrived. Windows 7 was an improvement in that in helped to clean up Vista’s mess, but for some, it was still a step backward from XP.

Microsoft’s corporate website offers information for businesses about upgrading to Windows 8 as well as Windows 7, in case the newer OS is too different for users to feel comfortable with. Microsoft Office 2003 will also reach end-of-life status on April 8.
 

Podcast playlist

This month on the Grower Radio Network, we learned how herbicide application helped one grower reduce labor costs, and what you can do about the graying of the horticulture industry. We also spoke with marketing experts about how to increase your company’s online sales, and what you can learn about branding from KISS and U2.

Subscribe to the Grower Radio Network on iTunes to have the podcasts delivered automatically. Or check our website for updates. If you have an idea for a podcast topic, please contact us. Leave a note on Twitter (@NurseryMag) or Facebook, or e-mail mmcclellan@gie.net.
 

Screen switch

Laptops, tablets, smartphones: your website should play well with all of these devices, because a recent study of 2,004 U.S. online adults shows that consumers are using all of them.

• More than 60 percent use at least two devices every day. N
• early 25 percent use three devices.
• More than 40 percent start a task on one device and finish on another.

Source: Multi-Device Usage Study, by GfK, Dec. 2013 (commissioned by Facebook)