Windows XP was released to manufacturing a quarter of a century ago
So incredibly stable, govt branches, banks and dentist offices still haven't figured out how to close it
Windows XP debuted to manufacturing 25 years ago, marking the end of the Windows 9x era and the beginning of the Windows NT era for consumer use. Launched on August 24, 2001, XP superseded Windows 2000 for professionals and Windows ME for home users. Codenamed Whistler, the OS introduced a more stable operating experience than Windows ME, although still an improvement over Windows ME's reliability.
The two-column Start Menu, revamped UI, and taskbar with application grouping were key UI improvements. XP included backward-compatibility features, making it a viable option for legacy applications. The OS came in two editions: Home and Professional, with Professional including features for corporate environments like domain account support.
Extended support ended in 2014, more than a decade after launch, but XP lingered on in various forms until 2024, with Microsoft issuing patches and security updates for the OS. Despite its legacy, XP's influence can still be seen today, particularly in niche areas like ticket machines and banking ATMs.
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