After more than 17 years, Microsoft sticks a fork in Windows XP one final time

*Flickr via Jason Scott. Click for original.* (Image credit: Flickr via Jason Scott)

Windows XP is arguably the most beloved version of Windows, hence why the legacy OS is still in use today on some PCs, albeit not nearly as many as in its heyday. That said, extended support has finally come to an end for the last supported version of Windows that was based on Windows XP.

As noted by TechRepublic, extended support for the defunct OS ended this past Tuesday, which officially puts a fork in the Windows NT 5.1 product family. Impressively, Windows XP's run lasted 17 years, 7 months, and 16 days.

Windows XP has enjoyed the longest run of any Windows OS ever. It's possible that Windows 10 will break the streak, now that Microsoft is no longer releasing monolithic upgrades every few years. But it has a long, long way to go.

What about Windows XP Home and Professional? Support ended for those main desktop variants back in April 2014. Nevertheless, there are still some machines that are clinging to the legacy OS. According to StatCounter, Windows XP accounts for 1.74 percent of all Windows machines, which puts it ahead of Vista.

If you expand the scope to include all desktop OSes and not just Windows, Netmarketshare has Windows XP accounting for 3.72 percent of all desktops in the world.

RIP, Windows XP.

Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD"*",8,1. In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).