Windows XP usage finally falls below 50% mark

[bill]

It's about time...

Windows XP usage finally falls below 50% mark [techspot.com]

At the end of July 2011, Microsoft can say that Windows XP finally fell below the 50 percent mark. In other words, Redmond's decade-old operating system is now used by less than half of all Internet users.

...

In the same time period, Windows 7 gained 0.74 percentage points (from 27.13 percent to 27.87 percent). Windows Vista meanwhile slipped 0.28 percentage points (from 9.52 percent to 9.24 percent) and Windows XP fell 1.19 percentage points (from 51.13 percent to 49.94 percent). In about a year's time, we should see Windows 7 pass Windows XP altogether.

...

Although Windows 7 is growing its share very quickly, the ancient Windows XP is still dominating. Microsoft knows this and is making its own attempts to woo users off the platform. The software giant still supports those using XP, despite its hate for the ancient OS.

[tangor]

Numbers are a bit different elsewhere, but do show the same overall drop... but getting me to let go of my XP is almost like that mantra of the gun club: over my cold, dead hands...

Though my hardware is capable, there's no compelling reason for Win7 at the moment. I doubt I'm the only one...

[Robert Charlton]

...no compelling reason for Win7 at the moment.

A friend with whom I discussed upgrading last week made a strong case not to upgrade more or less along the same lines... "if it's not broke, don't fix it." While this isn't a particularly new thought, it's one that's proven to be true over the years.

We're both concerned with legacy software breaking, and I think we're not alone in that department.