A Microsoft exec admitted today that about 75% of business computers still run the nine-year-old OS on hardware averaging 4.4 years old, and Computerworld's now reporting Microsoft will extend XP's lifespan through 2020 as a result.

Lots of specialist applications and Niche hardware & Drivers don't work on Vista or Windows 7. While Windows 7 fixes most of the issues of Vista, it's still slower to boot, less compatible, no more secure in reality and needs more RAM than XP.

Extending the downgrade option on Windows 7 means that Microsoft can still claim the Windows 7 sale and feed the operating system into the customer base, while letting customers continue to use the software they like until they're ready to move (if ever).

Many Corporate Vista and Windows 7 sales are actually XP use. Rather than sell people what they want directly and to make it harder for Retail to force "success" of Windows 7. Various versions of Windows or Office have always had a licence to run older versions, you can copy existing Media from any source for an Install. The Microsoft requirement is to have the Licence, not particular physical media.

[Some content via The Register]