Software giant Microsoft has finally said goodbye to 10-year-old Windows Vista operating system that had debuted with severe criticism. The company announced on Tuesday that is will be ending all support for Windows Vista effective immediately.
According to a report in Verge, Windows Vista users will now have to move to a more recent version of Windows to remain secure.
"Codenamed Longhorn, Windows Vista was originally supposed to revolutionise Windows with a new file system and user interface. Microsoft's development of Longhorn spiraled out of control, and the company was forced to reset its plans," the report states.
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer famously called Windows Vista his biggest regret, a CNBC report states. It was eventually replaced two years later by Windows 7.
Microsoft will stop issuing all security updates, hotfixes and support options for Windows Vista. According to the CNBC report, this means your system could potentially be more vulnerable to hacks, malware and other attacks, since Microsoft won't be working to make sure it's secure.
"If you continue to use Windows Vista after support has ended, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses," Microsoft is reported to have said in its support forums.
"Internet Explorer 9 is no longer supported, so if your Windows Vista PC is connected to the Internet and you use Internet Explorer 9 to surf the web, you might be exposing your PC to additional threats. Also, as more software and hardware manufacturers continue to optimize for more recent versions of Windows, you can expect to encounter more apps and devices that do not work with Windows Vista. "
With inputs from IANS
Image: Nick Perla