We recently received word from our IT supplier that Windows XP will no longer be available for us to order within the next few months, as they just purchased their final order of Windows XP copies. What this means for Lotus, is that while we should have enough Windows XP discs and licenses in stock to last us through the year, we are announcing a Windows XP cutoff date of October 22, 2009 — the day Windows 7 is scheduled for release. Should Windows 7 be delayed (which we expect is unlikely), we will continue to offer Windows XP as long as we are able to obtain copies and valid licenses for the operating system. Those who purchase Windows XP even the day before the cutoff will still receive lifetime tech support by Lotus for Windows XP.

Windows 7 is Microsoft’s upcoming operating system, which is the successor to Windows Vista. It is scheduled for release October 22, 2009 and has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from tech experts and the general public. We expect Windows 7 to be a seamless transition from both Windows XP and Vista.

We will stop installing Windows XP on all Lotus desktops and notebooks (netbooks might be exempt) on October 22, 2009, meaning Windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux will be the only operating system options available on a new Lotus computer starting October 22. Windows Vista may be available by request, but will not be available as a build-to-order option in our online store.

We think this is the right move as we prepare for the release of the highly anticipated Windows 7 OS, which has proven to perform better than Windows Vista, and has few issues with compatibility with older Windows XP software in our own testing with Windows 7 RC1.

If you haven’t tried Windows 7 yet, we encourage you to do so. We do offer the latest release of Windows 7 (currently RC1) on a new Lotus computer, so that might be an interesting way to go if you’re comfortable with running pre-release software. You can also get your free copy (free until final release) of Windows 7 Ultimate here http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/download.aspx

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Visit the main Lotus Computer website at http://www.lotuspc.net/