Windows XP was introduced in 2001 and has been a favorite operating system for millions of users over those eleven years. But software developers are slowly shifting support away from this older system. Google announced that they would no longer support Internet Explorer 8 in their online Google Apps, and IE 8 is the last version of that browser that can be used in Windows XP. For those who can change browsers, this may not be a problem, as you can still access Google Apps using Firefox, Chrome or Opera, but many businesses restrict the types of software that can be installed and used by their workers.
In another blow, Adobe has announced that the current version of Photoshop, CS6, will be the last one that will work in Windows XP. On the Photoshop blog, Tom Hogarty states: ...advances available on newer operating systems and hardware allows us to deliver significantly better performance, and focus our innovation efforts around the areas of the greatest benefit to our customers.
Compatibility issues will only increase for Windows XP users over time, as more and more software designers choose to support Windows 7 and 8. The shift from XP to Win 7 has been ongoing for some time now, especially in business environments, but it may accelerate even more, as less software is made which will accommodate the old system.
