XP support has ended!

What is Windows XP end of support?

Despite the frequent introduction by Microsoft of newer versions of its Windows operating system over the years, many business and home PC users are still using Windows XP, which was replaced back in 2007.

However, Microsoft finally ceased support for XP on April 8th 2014 and will therefore no longer be issuing updates, security patches, bug fixes and Microsoft Security Essentials for the operating system.

Your machine is vulnerable

As no security updates will be issued, your PC running Windows XP will be highly vulnerable to infection by malware, with criminals being well aware of the vulnerability.

Such malware could be used by criminals for a number of purposes, including:

  • Stealing your personal and financial details in order to commit fraud.
  • Committing identity theft by applying for bank accounts, passports and other facilities in your name.
  • Monitoring your email and other communications.
  • Recruiting your PC to be part of a botnet, commonly used to attack corporate or government websites.

Additional risks for businesses

In addition to the above, it will become more difficult to get your XP PC serviced or repaired, an increasing number of devices and software programs will no longer work with Windows XP, and a decreasing number of independent hardware and software support vendors will be able to provide services for Windows XP systems.

You also risk unauthorised entry into your information systems which could lead to your data being accessed or stolen, non-compliance with insurers’ and/or customers’ standards and a breach of the Data Protection Act.

Please note that Microsoft will continue to provide virus warnings for Windows XP until July 14th 2015. Many anti-virus software companies will also continue to update their products to spot malware targeted at the operating system. This does NOT mean, however, that patches and fixes will be available, and users still need to find a solution.

Before you do anything, it is very important that you back up the data on your PC and ensure that it can be accessed and recovered on another machine.

If you require help in upgrading your current PC, call Logic for a quote.

Benefits of Microsoft Office 365 for small businesses

Microsoft® Office 365 for small businesses is an easy-to-use set of web-enabled tools that let you access your email, important documents, contacts, and calendar from almost anywhere and any device—including PCs, Macintosh computers, iPhones, Android phones, and BlackBerry smartphones. Designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of small businesses, Office 365 lets you choose which tools to use. It works seamlessly with the programs you already know and use, including Microsoft Outlook®, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel®, and Microsoft PowerPoint®. It’s easy to try and simple to learn, and it works with your existing hardware. Office 365 also offers improved collaboration capabilities, including a password-protected portal to share large, hard-to-email files both inside and outside of your organization. Powerful security features from Microsoft help protect your data, and when the service is released for general availability, it will be backed with a 99.9-percent uptime guarantee.

Anytime, Anywhere Access

Office 365 provides web-enabled access to email, important documents, contacts, and calendar on almost any device—including PCs, Macintosh computers, iPhones, Android phones, and BlackBerry smartphones. It frees you to work where and when you choose, letting you respond to important requests right away, from almost any location. With the ability to access email and documents from your mobile device, you don’t need to hurry to the office or look for a WIFI hot spot. And if you’re traveling without access to Microsoft Office, Office 365 helps you view and edit documents from the most popular web browsers on PCs and Macintosh computers. Take control of when and where you work with Office 365.

Access from mobile devices depends on carrier network availability.
Users of Blackberry Internet Service get push email and can add calendar and contacts to their Blackberry devices through a wired sync with Outlook on the PC.

Professional Face for Your Business

Using professional services like Office 365 tells potential customers that you’re serious about business. For example, you can impress your prospects by inviting them to a collaborative online meeting where you can review your latest proposal. With these state-of-the-art but easy-to-use collaboration, mail, and messaging services, you can set yourself apart from organizations that use free or ad-supported services. A custom domain name further enhances your branding, and Office 365 includes design tools to easily create a professional, public-facing website in minutes.

Easily Communicate and Collaborate Inside and Outside Your Organization

With Office 365, you can create a password-protected portal to share large, hard-to-email files both inside and outside of your organization, giving you a single location to find the latest versions of files or documents, no matter how many people are working on them. Send instant messages to colleagues and customers and invite them to participate in online meetings where you can review documents or take control of a desktop.

Simple to Learn, Straightforward to Use

Office 365 is easy to try, simple to learn, and straightforward to use. You don’t need to learn new software, install complicated systems, or learn new jargon. In just a few minutes, you can create a trial account and see how easily your business can be “in the cloud” with benefits usually found only in larger organizations.

Email, Collaboration, and Online Meeting Solutions

Microsoft has years of experience delivering scalable, secure online solutions. Enhance your Office experience with Office 365 features like a 25-gigabyte (GB) mailbox that accommodates attachments up to 25 megabytes (MB), calendaring, contacts, online meetings, instant messaging, document collaboration, and more. With Office 365, you can take advantage of these easy-to-use solutions and advanced features at a small-business price.

Safety and Security

Security is priority at Microsoft data centers. With Office 365, you can use the same systems used by Microsoft and other enterprises worldwide to help protect email, documents, and networks. These systems scan your messages and documents for spam and malicious software (also called malware) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Microsoft data centers help safeguard your data and are certified to meet several industry-standard certifications, including the ISO 27001 certification and the EU Safe Harbor seal.

Seamless Coordination with the Tools You Already Know

Office 365 works seamlessly with the programs you already know and use, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. These tools provide the same great features you rely on as well as powerful capabilities in Office 365. With Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft Office Professional Plus, you can see if others are editing the document you’re using, synchronize documents with your desktop, broadcast PowerPoint presentations, and check documents in and out of your online document library. These and other features are automatically enabled when you use Office 2010 and Office Professional Plus with Office 365.

No Requirement for Advanced IT Knowledge

Office 365 administration is designed for organizations without IT staff, so you can easily set up and use the features, helping you focus on your business rather than on learning menus and technical lingo. Perform administrative tasks using an intuitive, web-based portal that is accessible only to people you designate. The online portal provides step-by-step instructions on how to add users and set up your account so your employees can quickly start using Office 365.

99.9-Percent Availability, Money-Back Guarantee

Office 365 helps safeguard your data with enterprise-grade reliability, disaster recovery capabilities, data centers in multiple locations, and a strict privacy policy. The Microsoft data centers that deliver Office 365 are designed with redundant networks, power systems, servers, and continuous monitoring. These and other high availability safeguards provide the basis for the 99.9-percent uptime, money-back guarantee that are included with the service after the release for general availability.

Flexibility for Your Business

With Office 365, you get pay-as-you-go pricing options that give you predictability and flexibility for your business. Office 365 also offers great flexibility by allowing you to easily provide users with only the services they need, cost-effectively adding value to your business.

Logic accepted into the Microsoft Authorized Education Reseller program.

An Authorized Education Reseller (AER) in the context of Microsoft, is a program that enables resellers to sell Microsoft software products to qualified educational institutions at academic prices.

Microsoft certifies resellers to provide complete software solutions and services to educational customers. The companies certified by Microsoft as AERs are qualified to sell Microsoft Academic Edition Software licenses to education users. Microsoft has designed the AER program to offer two types of Academic certifications:

Resale of Academic volume licenses

Resale of Academic Full Packaged Product (A-FPP).

What is Windows XP end of support?

Microsoft has provided support for Windows XP for the past 12 years. But now the time has come for us, along with our hardware and software partners, to invest our resources toward supporting more recent technologies so that we can continue to deliver great new experiences.

As a result, after April 8, 2014, technical assistance for Windows XP will no longer be available, including automatic updates that help protect your PC. Microsoft will also stop providing Microsoft Security Essentials for download on Windows XP on this date. (If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials installed, you will continue to receive anti-malware signature updates for a limited time, but this does not mean that your PC will be secure because Microsoft will no longer be providing security updates to protect your PC.)

If you continue to use Windows XP after support ends, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Also, as more software and hardware manufacturers continue to optimize for more recent versions of Windows, you can expect to encounter greater numbers of apps and devices that do not work with Windows XP.

Upgrade your current PC, call logic for a quote.