[Development] Dropping XP?

Phil Hannent phil at hannent.co.uk
Wed Dec 11 10:28:02 CET 2013


On 9 December 2013 22:23, Thiago Macieira <thiago.macieira at intel.com> wrote:
> As Kenneth reminds us[1], Microsoft is ending the security updates for Windows
> XP in April 2014. That's about when we plan to release Qt 5.3.
>
> Should we stop supporting Windows XP? Is there anything we can improve in our
> codebase if we do?
Speaking as a developer that uses Qt to create software for schools
world wide, I can say that the use of XP is not going to stop. There
is a view in the developed world that people shouldn't be using XP
because it is coming out of support next year.

However those in the developing world are happy that XP just works on
second hand equipment. Internet insecurities do not concern them, as
generally the computers are not hooked up to the Internet (they work
by having a technician who downloads patches and updates via an up to
date PC and then goes around and installs them on PC's).

XP isn't going to expire and I would find it sad if a choice was taken
to actively remove code that allowed it to work. Dropping XP support
signals a finite lifetime of hardware based on its software, which
isn't good from an ecological point of view.

Regards
Phil Hannent



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