Are you kidding? How did we ever use this primitive technology for so long? And why are some people still using it? Every Thursday, CTS will highlight the good, the bad, and the ugly of technology from days gone by in our #TBT Technology blog. Enjoy reliving the good old days!
WINDOWS XP
When it was created: 2001
Purpose: Making your computer work in a way that you can actually use it
Where it is still used: ATMs; the U.S. Navy, maybe (it was supposed to upgrade by July of this year); the IRS
Why it’s still used: Although Microsoft ended support for the operating system in 2014—leaving it unprotected in the face of new threats from hackers—nearly 11 percent of desktop computers still run Windows XP. The OS is still around for the same reason a lot of obsolete tech is still around, because people are used to it and don’t want to change, even in the face of security risks. Sometimes upgrades will also break things; the U.S. Navy just isn’t ready to upgrade for a multitude of reasons which is why it is paying Microsoft to continue security updates to XP specifically for the armed forces. — Popular Mechanics