UIU Blog

So, you've come to a decision that the time has come to migrate from Windows XP to a more modern version of Windows. You may have experienced difficulty running XP on newer hardware or perhaps you've noticed that OEM's are producing fewer drivers for XP in general. Whatever the case, you've realized that it's time to move on.

You're now faced with the decision of whether to choose to migrate to the brand-spanking-new Windows 8 or migrate to the tried-and-true Windows 7. (Let's face it, nobody's considered Vista, pretty much ever…) One faction of IT professionals may argue that it's a no-brainer, move to the newest of the new, Windows 8. I'll argue that it may not be that simple. Windows 7, while approaching its 4th birthday after being released in 2009, has a strong track record of providing reliable up-time and application compatibility while minimizing headaches experienced with XP. Windows 7 apparently overtook XP, which was released in 2001, as the most widely used Microsoft operating system in Q3 of 2012, In my opinion, it has reached or will reach very soon its full maturity.

Windows 7 is not the newest version, however, it is the most stable version that very closely reflects the user experience of XP. Why is that important? It may be most important from an often underestimated end-user training perspective. When your users see an interface that is reminiscent of their current experience, they will feel more comfortable, confident and less likely to perceive system problems as a result of the migration. So what? If end-users experience reduced confidence in their own skills with respect to the manipulation of their primary operating environment, regardless of actual ability or process changes, they will invariably stumble, complain and request assistance more often. That costs time and money.

If you choose to migrate to Windows 7, you can expect quicker end-user proficiency which I will argue translates directly into fewer Help Desk calls and greater productivity. I wouldn't worry too much about the anticipated deprecation date for Windows 7. As we all know, support for deprecated operating systems lives on long after discontinuation both officially and within the skill sets of professionals throughout the industry. Help will be available (I give XP a solid three more years). As for your applications, you'll likely realize some cost in replacing antiquated applications or having specialized applications refactored to perform optimally within the context of the new operating system.

If you choose to migrate to Windows 8, my advice is to rip the band-aid off quickly and prepare for some extra training costs for your end-users. Expect a hit on your Help Desk and expect it to persist for some time, (obviously depending upon the average level of computer savvy possessed by your user community). You may or may not have software or development costs that exceed the costs of migration applications to your new OS platform, that's tough to say.

Now, you may find that some specialized applications will require a set of XP machines to
persist in your environment and that's OK. I may recommend that you set a schedule to begin (let's say, by December 2013?) a methodical approach to replacing or upgrading those types of applications to function on newer Microsoft (or other) operating systems.

Either way you go, I believe that your decision, made analytically and within the context of your environment, will ultimately be cost-effective and provide for longevity. I wish you the best of luck with any OS migration. They're super fun!