Text/Wang Jiecong

Today, Windows XP users will receive their last patch from Microsoft, leaving Microsoft with a haven for security vendors and hackers of all kinds.

According to market research firm NetApplication, the XP system had a market share of 29.53% in February. According to Gartner's predictions, 15% of enterprise users still operate XP systems on at least 10% of their PCs today. According to an official Microsoft document, there are still 200 million XP users in China.

The feelings of real users will be delayed

While the media, security vendors, Microsoft, and events are all talking about the significance of April 8, it doesn't seem obvious to the average user.

Chen Xudong, president of Lenovo China, told NetEase Technology, "This question is very strange, at present, only unrelated third parties are asking us on a large scale, but at present, I have not received a single appeal from our users, for example, the home computer should not be updated." ”

To understand this sentence, the first objective facts to be clarified are: first, PC manufacturers have stopped producing computers with pre-installed XP systems for many years; Secondly, if you buy the computer and install the XP system yourself, if there is a problem, consumers are more likely to choose to reinstall the system instead of looking for a PC manufacturer. For people who are still using XP, they will only be more vigilant about XP vulnerabilities when their computers are affected by vulnerabilities.

However, what needs to be explained is the objective reality that the XP system has been plagued by endless vulnerabilities for many years. From the printer interface to Outlook, from IE6 to the USB flash drive interface, the user is directly at risk after using the XP system but at the same time Microsoft is not responsible for patch updates.

According to a foreign media report, it is believed that many hackers have accumulated some vulnerabilities in their hands and will wait until April 8 to release them one by one, so as to obtain the greatest benefits. And for such an attack, some security experts believe that the best way is to stay away from the Internet.

A feast for security vendors

At the time of every software product, the vendor has a date called the technical support cycle, and Windows XP is Microsoft's longest-serving operating system. And after Microsoft's turnaround, the most active are security software vendors.

A series of vendors, including 360, Kingsoft, Ruixing, and Teng Xun, are the most active companies in spreading the news since 2014, and they are vying to provide security patches for XP systems instead of Microsoft. In terms of promotion methods, each company does everything it can, after occupying the user's computer in this way, it is already a mature business model to do entrance, traffic and other businesses through guò, and the XP users left by Microsoft are the best operating space for this model. However, from another point of view, due to the fierce competition among each company, the quality of safety assurance may be improved, because any problem will be discovered and magnified by the other party.

In addition to security vendors, another of the most enthusiastic voices comes from the call for domestic operating systems, and the update of XP once again puts the dependence of domestic PCs on Microsoft under the microscope, advocating the development of domestic operating systems and encouraging independent research and development is also the loudest time.

For an average XP user

A hacking website gives the easiest advice for the average XP user, which reads as follows:

1. Install all the patches provided by Microsoft, including the last one from the April 8th update.

2. Upgrade from IE6 to IE8, which can solve more than half of the threats.

3. Choose a security software. There is a distrust at home, and there is also an international Symantec, etc.

4. Deploy anti-virus software on the intranet, only enable the necessary system services, and prohibit all services that do not need to be started with security policies.

5. For production systems that do not have access to the Internet but use Windows XP, the use of USB devices can be disabled or restricted.

Related Reading:

Some common misconceptions about the "retirement" of Windows XP

Misconception 1: "Windows XP is going to be out of service"

If you're still using Windows XP, you don't have to worry about not being able to turn on your computer and get into your desktop tomorrow morning. According to Microsoft's official statement, if you are using an unsupported version of Windows XP or Windows Vista without any ServicePack, Windows will continue to be up and running as usual.

However, Microsoft is no longer responsible for other vulnerabilities in the system, and no longer provides technical assistance with Windows XP, including automatic updates to help protect your computer. Microsoft Security Essentials download service will also be discontinued for Windows XP. On April 8, Microsoft pushed four patches for Windows XP, which is the last batch of patches for Windows XP.

Myth 2: "Microsoft no longer provides vulnerability updates for Windows XP, just install antivirus software and you're safe"

Security protection software is aimed at detecting and killing viruses for known problems, and the patches provided by Microsoft plug vulnerabilities from the bottom, so these solutions from domestic security vendors are temporary and cannot replace the role of Microsoft in updating patches. Microsoft's regular updates include protection against harmful viruses, spyware, and other malware that can steal personal information. At the same time, the original system update will also upgrade the software, such as new drivers for the hardware.

Myth 3: "If you don't install security software, your computer is not safe"

Users can install all XP patches provided by Microsoft and back up important data. For production systems that are not connected to the Internet but use Windows XP, you can disable or restrict the use of USB devices, deploy anti-virus software on the intranet, enable only necessary system services, and prohibit all services that do not need to be started with security policies. Users can also update their browser version to account for security risks caused by the network willingly. In addition, third-party protection software will provide single-line patch support for non-genuine XP systems.

Myth 4: "The security patches pushed by Windows XP have a great impact on domestic users"

According to Microsoft's official figures, 70% of XP users in China have not used Microsoft's regular security protection services in the past 13 years.

Myth 5: "Microsoft has ignored Windows XP since April 8"

Microsoft has extended anti-malware signatures and engine upgrades to July 14, 2015. Anti-malware signatures are just one of Microsoft's many application services, which can help alleviate XP security issues, but because they do not provide vulnerability patches, they have limited effect on improving the security capabilities of XP systems.

Myth 6: "Windows 7/Vista is not as good as Windows XP"

Vista is equivalent to an operating system rewritten by Microsoft, Win7 compared to Vista, the main changes are still in the interface and user experience modifications, the kernel part of the modification is not big. A number of security features have been introduced to make Vista run safer and more stable, reducing the incidence of blue screens. When the program requires a higher privilege to run, a dialog box will pop up for the user to select "Yes" to confirm the privilege escalation. Windows 7 comes with a large number of hardware drivers to ensure that you can connect to all kinds of hardware without any obstacles. The Vista/7 is also capable of DX10 support, and the battery management scheme has been improved. (Thanks to Zhihu netizens: Yu Tiansheng)

Myth 7: "Windows XP is smooth, and you won't encounter compatibility barriers when playing games and apps, so you don't need to upgrade your system"

13 years of service is indeed too long for an operating system. In addition to the possible security risks and virus threats, more and more software and hardware vendors are no longer considering compatibility with Windows XP when designing software, which will lead to future games and modern hardware devices no longer supporting Windows XP. For example, native XP does not support SATA hard drives. In addition, the system design of Windows 7 runs smoothly, and it is easier to use and more beautiful than XP.

===Split Line===

Windows XP curtain call

Thirteen years together, angels become devils?

Finally, it was time to say goodbye to Windows XP, and on April 8, 2014, today, the world's most popular operating system was coming to an end. The times create heroes, and Windows XP is a smash hit; At the end of the song, it makes people fall into a panic of "unclear and powerful". Some have likened the retirement of Windows XP to a millennium-like disaster. Will the former angels really degenerate into terrible devils?

Author: Guo Xue

Sacrifice to! Windows XP - Born like an angel and died like a devil

There is no feast in the world that will not be dispersed. According to Microsoft's schedule, April 8, 2014 is the curtain call for Windows XP - today, XP will be the last time to enjoy the patches released by Microsoft, and will be "weaned" forever in the future. There is no technical support, no system patches, no security updates, and even new vulnerabilities will not be taken care of by "my own mother" - XP, which has been a smash hit since its release, has ushered in the last time when it exits.

After Microsoft announced that it would stop technical support for XP, the world was plunged into the panic of the "millennium bug" 14 years ago. On the one hand, the analysis of experts is full of technical jargon, and it seems that something is really going to happen. On the one hand, the warning of XP's "father" Microsoft, although it feels "alarmist", also makes people half-believed; On the other hand, users are confused in the face of the "Arabian Nights" of technology flows, unable to understand, unable to see clearly, and even more frightened.

For ordinary people, in the face of the post-Windows XP era at this moment, perhaps there is no more appropriate description than "unclear and powerful" - "Microsoft will terminate technical support for Windows XP systems", just a few words, although it is not difficult to see the superficial meaning, but the meaning is not understood in depth. Not to mention that "technical support" is confusing, many people's understanding of "operating system" is actually just UI.

- What is the operating system?

According to Wikpedia's definition: "An operating system is a program that manages the software and hardware resources of a computer, and is also the core and cornerstone of a computer system." The operating system handles basic tasks such as managing and configuring memory, prioritizing the supply and demand of system resources, controlling input and output devices, operating the network, and managing the system, while also providing an interface for users to interact with the system. ”

- What is technical support?

Computer software has its own life cycle – from creation to end-of-life, from official release to end of technical support. The same is true for Microsoft's Windows family, which has its own life cycle, from the release of the product to the end of support, and also includes several phases in the process, such as mainstream support, extended support, and end of support.

"End of Support" means the date on which Microsoft no longer provides automatic patches, updates, or online technical assistance. This is the case with XP today, and XP on the user's computer will no longer receive any patches or anti-virus software from Microsoft. Although many security vendors have said that they will provide third-party support, "the one who knows his son best is his own mother", and only Microsoft can do the best technical support for XP.

Last year, Tim Rains, the head of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing division, warned that hackers had been reverse-engineering Windows to find opportunities. Officials have even given warnings that Windows XP may suffer from "zero-day exploits" - attacks carried out by hackers before security patches are released for the operating system or other code. Since Microsoft stopped releasing security patches for Windows XP after April 2014, hackers will eventually find a "zero-day vulnerability" that can attack Windows XP systems.

During the Qingming season, I said goodbye to XP and couldn't help but sigh if the former angel really wanted to degenerate into a devil?

Memory! Windows XP: A Life of Disruption Retrospective

Although before Windows XP, Microsoft's 95, 98, me and other systems have long ended support, but this is the first time that it has caused global panic.

NetApplications' latest "Operating System Market Share" statistics show that in March 2014, Windows 7 accounted for 48.77%, Windows 8 accounted for 11.30%, OSX accounted for 7.58%, Windows Vista 2.99%, Linux accounted for 1.49%, and 13-year-old Windows XP still had a high market share of 27.69%.

XP favored? The times create heroes, and the time and place are favorable

Windows XP is a milestone and an important work of Microsoft, which was born in the aftermath of the first bubble burst of the Internet. Before the advent of XP, the personal computer was just a commercial tool for many people, and the "predecessors" of the Windows series were not satisfactory in terms of ease of use and system stability, and it was difficult for ordinary users to say that they liked it.

Windows XP caught the golden age of the Internet's boom. The Internet and Internet-related technologies have begun to connect with ordinary users, and people who do not have enterprise-level needs have also used computers. The emergence of Windows XP at this time was a natural success, especially for many Chinese users, who used Windows XP for the first time to contact personal computers, so even if Microsoft let XP retire, some users are reluctant to upgrade.

"There are no tigers in the mountains." When Windows XP was released, its competitor was Apple's OSX, but in stark contrast to Microsoft's aggressive cooperation with OEMs, Apple's non-open policy was achieved. On this alone, it is clear that OSX cannot beat XP. So to this day, in the consumer and commercial fields, Microsoft's Windows system still firmly occupies the vast majority of the market.

A look back at the history of Windows XP

Windows XP is based on Windows 2000. Compared to the previous version, XP has brought us a lot of habits that have had a profound impact. The post-80s and 90s generations may vaguely remember the excitement when they turned on the computer for the first time and saw the system loading the progress bar.

It doesn't look the same anymore. XP welcomes Luna, the god of the moon, with a beautiful new graphical user interface that's sleeker and cleaner than ever. In addition, the two-column menu was also used first by XP.

Die-hard fans use the habit of freeze-frame XP. In particular, the "Ctrl+Alt+Delete" key combination was first introduced in XP. Press these three keys to enter the security interface and indirectly open the task manager, which has been faithfully retained in successive versions in the future. Windows XP has also introduced a "Select Task" user interface that allows users to access task details from the toolbar.

On August 24, 2001, Windows XP was officially released (RTM). Since then, other revisions have been released, but the most popular are the two 32-bit versions: the Professional Edition (WindowsXPProfessional) and the Home Edition (WindowsXPHomeEdition). WindowsXPHomeEdition only supports one processor, but supports multiple cores on a single CPU. Windows XPProfessional (Professional Edition) is the most widely circulated version, aimed at enterprises and developers, and has begun to support dual CPUs.

Die young! Windows XP: 13 years of companionship is hard to say about breaking up

The end of the song is not dispersed, this operating system that has been with the world for more than 13 years, makes people speechless and choked when they mention breaking up.

- Governments are paying for "extended services" out of their pockets

The Dutch government has signed a technical support contract with Microsoft to continue to support the nearly 40,000 state agencies and public officials still using Windows XP. The Irish government has spent $4.5 million to purchase a "one-year extension of XP service support" from Microsoft. The UK's five largest banks are also paying Microsoft for additional support to keep their systems running safely.

- Enterprises also have to hemorrhage

Enterprise users are the real "die-hards" of XP, and in the case of "Microsoft stopped supporting XP", it was greatly affected. "According to a survey of 465 enterprises by the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, 44.4% of enterprise users choose to continue to use the XP system", and XP said that it is not easy to break up, and enterprises are also suffering.

First of all, many enterprise-level workplaces are designed based on XP systems (especially in the healthcare industry), so upgrading the operating system is not realistic. This higher version of Windows may lead to incompatibility with office software, and rebuilding the platform is a big expense. In addition, many companies have relatively outdated hardware that cannot support higher versions of Windows; And the potential slowdown after the upgrade also makes the company afraid to love the new system.

However, staying in XP means that the enterprise network will be exposed to security risks and face the challenge of viruses.

- There are many opinions on the impact of ATMs

According to the Wall Street Journal, some of the world's ATMs "embedded" XP system support is available until 2016, but this is only a tiny fraction. Retail research firm RBR reports that millions of ATMs will not be able to get regular security patches after XP technical support is discontinued, deviating from industry security standards. While Microsoft warns of the risks of Windows XP, there are still a handful of ATMs that switch to Windows 7. NCR, the largest ATM provider in the United States, estimates that less than one-third of the world's ATMs (867,000 units) will be able to complete the system update by April 8, which means that 1.7 million units will not be converted in time. While a large number of equipment is being upgraded, this process is likely to last more than 18 months.

However, some domestic system security sources said that the discontinuation of XP support will not affect the security of domestic ATMs. "Domestic ATMs do not have operating system patches, and the ATM private network is physically isolated from the external network, and it is impossible to implant Trojan viruses in ATMs through the guò network. The security of ATMs is still relatively high. But in the long run, bank ATMs are also under pressure to upgrade their operating systems. China's largest ATM manufacturer, Guangdian Yuntong, once said in an interview, "Technically speaking, it is not difficult to replace the operating system, but the ATM operating system upgrade is a system work, and the specific implementation plan needs to be combined with the bank's evaluation and demonstration." Radio and television Yuntong also emphasized that Microsoft stopped updating the service of XP, and it is also a natural trend to upgrade the ATM operating system to Win7 or others in the future.

- Not much pressure for the average user

Since the end of March, users in China have been receiving a pop-up notification from Windows Update that XP support will end on April 8, 2014, but most people may have simply clicked "No More Display". For ordinary users, computers are nothing more than listening to songs, watching dramas, and occasionally PPT and Word, and after the popularization of smartphones and tablets, the usage rate of PCs is even lower. Many users have encountered XP when they first used the computer, and they have been in love for more than 10 years, and "not used to the new system" makes people inseparable from XP. In addition, like enterprises, users are also worried about the incompatibility of software and games after upgrading, and many users will not even install the new system themselves. Fear of trouble, low hardware configuration, and expensive system upgrades make many people choose to stick to the XP camp and do not hesitate to guard its grave.

Microsoft's official website gives two suggestions for Windows XP users: 1. Upgrade the system, and 2. Buy a new computer. Regardless of whether Microsoft is "suspected" of paving the way for its own Windows 8.1, it has become an indisputable fact that XP is not safe. In any case, the impact of XP retirement on ordinary users is the easiest to solve, and pirated users who have been living outside the Microsoft shield for a long time may have been resigned to the fear of vulnerabilities.

epilogue

Sacrifices, memories, and mourning, accompanied by 13 years, the feast will be dispersed. Say goodbye to Windows XP and enter the unknown post-XP era. Whether you choose to upgrade and take refuge, "survive for a while", or continue to stick to the pirated version camp, the operating system retires, and the panic is more about thinking - thinking about how to deal with this catastrophe, and thinking about how to avoid the mistakes of the past.

===Split Line===

Hunt XP: Who's targeting the business opportunities behind them

Xinlang Technology News reported on the morning of April 8 that Microsoft (39.8,0.00,0.00%) will officially stop technical support for the Windows XP operating system from today, which means that after this date, any vulnerabilities in the XP operating system will not be provided by Microsoft to provide any system updates to patch vulnerabilities. In this case, the consumer's personal computer may be exposed to certain security risks.

As the most successful operating system in Microsoft's history, XP still has a global market share of nearly 30%, and in China, the proportion of users using XP is as high as 70%, with a total of more than 200 million users.

At the time of the official "retirement" of the XP operating system, Xinlang Technology explained all aspects of the "retirement" of Windows XP in the form of questions and answers.

1. Q: From today onwards, can I still use the XP operating system installed on my computer?

A: Yes. XP "retirement" does not mean that the operating system software will no longer be able to run, and you will still be able to use the computer normally, which will not hinder you from doing anything, such as surfing the Internet, chatting, entertainment, etc.

According to Microsoft, as of April 8, Microsoft will not provide any system updates to patch any vulnerabilities in the XP operating system. To put it simply, this means that from April 8, Microsoft will no longer be responsible for releasing "patches" to help you patch vulnerabilities in XP systems. At that point, your XP system will still work fine, but there will be some bugs in the system and no one will help you fix them. In the past, Microsoft took the initiative to push "patches" to you.

2. Q: What will be the impact if there is a new vulnerability in the system?

Answer: If the system is not patched in time, it may cause some security risks, such as computer infection with Trojan horses, computer viruses or hacker intake. Keep in mind that just because there may be some security vulnerabilities doesn't mean that your computer will be infected with a virus or hacked.

3. Q: What can I do about vulnerabilities?

A: If you don't upgrade your operating system, the best thing to do is to install some security software on your computer. There are a lot of free and paid security software on the market, which can provide some protection against some common vulnerabilities or viruses.

If your computer is mainly used for personal entertainment, install some common free security software; If it is for enterprise use, upgrade the operating system or purchase professional security software to seek more professional security technical support.

4. Q: What should I do if I insist on using the XP system and want to ensure safety?

A: In addition to installing security software as mentioned above, it is actually possible to sign an extended support contract with Microsoft for XP systems. Enterprise, government, and other institutional customers can sign a technical support contract with Microsoft for a fee to continue using XP systems. A few days ago, the governments of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands paid for this service. As for individual customers, it is estimated that it is difficult to enjoy this service even if they have money.

5. Q: Why do you want to "retire" the XP system?

A: Windows XP is an operating system product launched by Microsoft in 2001, 12 years ago. Although this operating system product has won the love of many users with its stable and easy-to-use characteristics at the time of its launch, it has fallen behind in terms of security and performance due to the outdated system architecture.

Microsoft has been supporting Windows XP for two years longer than any other operating system. For Microsoft, this is a big cost, and at the same time, due to the reluctance of users to upgrade, it also affects the sales of subsequent versions of Microsoft's operating system. So, Microsoft still expects people to buy the latest version of the operating system.

6. Q: Why do so many people still use XP operating system?

Answer: According to incomplete statistics, there may still be more than 300 million computers in the world still using XP systems, of which there may be about 200 million XP users in China. Enterprises and government agencies may account for a very large proportion of XP users in China. The main reason why they have not been able to upgrade to other versions of the control system is that some of the core applications of these institutions may have been developed based on the XP system, and these institutions have to continue to use the XP system.

7. Q: Can I buy a Windows 8 operating system to replace the XP system on my computer?

A: Of course, Microsoft would like to buy a Windows 8 operating system, but it is not necessary to install Windows 8 on a computer that was purchased a few years ago. The main consideration is that the hardware of the older computer may not support Windows 8, and even if it can be installed, some of the latest features may not be experienced. So, if you want to experience the Windows 8 operating system, it's best to buy a new computer.

8. Q: My XP system is a pirated version, what will be the impact after April 8th?

Answer: The XP system is software without Microsoft's permission, and there may be some problems in itself, such as the system is unstable, easy to be infected with Trojan horses, etc., but if you have been using the pirated version of the system in the past few years and have never had problems, then you may not have new problems if you continue to use it. But if you buy a new computer, you still need to use the software. If you really don't want to spend money on operating system software, some open-source operating systems can also be considered, which are free and the experience is not bad. (Luo Liang)

===Split Line===

XP suspension: Microsoft sunset or willows?

Text/Chengyu Dictionary

The sky is blue, the wilderness is vast, the wind blows the grass and sees the cattle and sheep.

This is not only a true portrayal of the grassland scenery, but also the default computer screen of the Windows XP system. Such a system that has brought countless joys, sorrows and sorrows to the majority of users, such a picture of the blue sky, green grass and white clouds that has brought users infinite reverie will likely become gone forever with Microsoft's suspension of XP update services. What is the attitude of Chinese users in the face of XP suspension? What is the future of Windows for a "lost empire" like Microsoft? Is it sunset or sunset waiting for Microsoft?

April 8 may not be a famous day in history, but with Microsoft's announcement that it will stop providing updates to Windows XP on this day, it is destined to be a permanent "monument" in the Internet and software industry.

Windows XP: Is the sun setting?

From its birth in October 2001 to its retirement in April 2014, the Windows XP system has left too many memories for Chinese users. Everyone used to talk about having a pirated version of the XP disk, and they were also upset by the system's constant blue screen restart; was overwhelmed by all kinds of bizarre Trojan horses; I was kept up at night by the virus that swaggered through the market. Is such a system that grows with everyone already sunset?

As the saying goes, first love is always impressive. Although many people have been exposed to the DOS system before XP, there are still many Chinese computer users who think that the Windows XP system is their first love. In the face of this "first love" that is about to leave, it is obvious that Chinese users are still a little reluctant. According to CNNIC, 57% of Chinese users have an attitude towards XP as "drag it out", and many die-hard XP fans have declared that they plan to use it until the day when XP can't be used.

In fact, many of the people who participated in the survey were mainly home users, and the proportion reached 48.68%. There are also a variety of reasons for the reluctance to replace the system. Some people think that XP basically meets the needs of work and play, and it is very good, why should I change it? Some people believe that the current computer configuration is low, it is easy to change the system, but it is not easy to change the computer, and use and cherish it. Some people also mentioned that due to compatibility problems with many software, after upgrading the system, it is likely that they will not be able to use the original software, and they have been reluctant to leave XP.

In fact, any hardware product or software system is a familiar process. A large part of the reason why many people are reluctant to give up XP for upgrading is because users are used to XP. It's easy to get a person to change anything, but it's hardest to change habits!

Indeed, as far as I am concerned, I used to be a fan of XP as well. At the beginning, many programs and optimizations were learned and set according to XP, and it was not easy to play XP - Windows 7 is coming. I remember a media editor-in-chief once joked: "Windows 7 is good, better than XP, and it will replace XP soon." "Looking at the market share of XP in China today and the loyalty of Chinese users to XP, the joke made by the editor-in-chief has disappeared like a floating cloud.

Maybe Microsoft thinks it's time for Windows XP to go sunset, but apparently Chinese users don't think so.

Microsoft: How can we make a bright future?

If you take stock of the world's best Internet companies ten years ago, Microsoft will definitely be at the top. But ten years later, the "trident" composed of Google, Apple, and Facebook is changing the ranking of global Internet companies and leading the world Internet landscape. Microsoft only relied on Windows8 to swipe the "sense of storage", and this sense of storage is very short-lived. For Microsoft, the "lost empire", how can it be a bright village?

1. Pay attention to user habits and give users the best reason to upgrade. Since users are unwilling to give up XP lightly and are unwilling to change their habits, it is better to be "blocked". XP suspension may be a "not difficult decision" made by Microsoft, which consciously allows users to upgrade. In fact, it is not difficult to force users to upgrade, but how to guide users to upgrade. If Microsoft can't give users a reason to upgrade, then maybe in a few years, XP will still not be withdrawn from Chinese users' computers.

2. Don't just focus on the system, you should look at the ecological chain. There's a good word for it, it's called "ecological chain". The same applies to Microsoft. In fact, the operating system is only an important chess piece in the hands of Microsoft, and Microsoft used to care too much about this chess piece, so that many products are built around this chess piece, and many plans are also carried out around the system. But in fact, in addition to the system, many programs and software that rely on the system are more critical. If a team focuses on one product without a long-term plan, it is undoubtedly making the mistake of looking at the wrong thing; However, if a company only pays attention to the system and ignores the construction of the entire ecological chain, it is tantamount to cocooning itself.

3. Large companies should have a bigger mind, and the free model may become a lifesaver for Microsoft. I have mentioned the business model of "free" many times in many articles and salon sharing. Many people are disdainful of this, and many people with a long-term vision agree with it. Indeed, many people may think that there is something wrong with this person at first glance, or that they lack business acumen. But in fact, it's what's hidden behind the free that makes it more researchable. For Internet products, the price is equivalent to the marginal cost, as the product is continuously distributed and reproduced, when the user reaches a certain level, the marginal cost will become smaller and smaller, and will eventually approach zero. This has also become a prerequisite for Internet products to be free. Chris Anderson, the former editor-in-chief of Wired in the United States, is an advocate of the free model. In this way, Microsoft can provide Windows to users for free, and rely on other value-added services to charge users. This not only saves the time cost of Chinese users going around to steal the plate, but also Microsoft can raise the number of users to a new level. As incredible as it may sound now, nothing is impossible with the internet!

4. If you want to catch up, what should Microsoft learn from the "Trident"? As mentioned above, the "trident" composed of Google, Apple, and Facebook is changing the ranking of global Internet companies and leading the world Internet landscape. Although it is a "lost empire", it is also an empire, and the "Trident" has a lot of inspiration for Microsoft.

Let's start with Google. The American Internet company, which has become an international Internet power by relying on its search business, has been blocked in China, but Google is still a great company in the world. At least the success of the Android system has a lot to learn from Microsoft. Android has relied on a free-to-play strategy to grow to the scale it is today. What Microsoft needs to remember is: charge, make money; It's free, and it's the hearts and minds that earn!

Let's talk about apples. Apple is the world's most popular brand for its outstanding industrial design and well-established closed-loop ecosystem. In addition to the first-class products, Apple's marketing philosophy and business strategy can also be described as high-tech. The famous "hunger marketing" has also become the primary learning goal of domestic mobile phone manufacturers. In addition, in the article "Launching CarPlay: Apple's Ambitions Revealed", I also analyzed and pointed out Apple's determination to "take all the hard and soft" in the future. What Microsoft can learn from Apple is to conquer the world with the strategy of "soft with hard and hard with soft".

Three say Facebook. Compared to Google and Apple, Facebook is actually a more hack-style company, and the products born in college dorms tend to be more down-to-earth. Compared with Microsoft's "big family", Facebook does more precise and vertical things. Facebook may not have Google's strong technical genes, nor Apple's extraordinary design and marketing genes, but its long-term vision and Internet thinking have given Facebook more unique genes that are different from others. Facebook sees "connecting the world" as its mission, and whether it is an acquisition or product development, it is at the core of its values. Obviously, Microsoft's reliance on the operating system to connect the world has a more prominent advantage, but if Microsoft can't clarify its future development plans and strategic goals, then such a great achievement is likely to be preempted by Facebook.

The XP suspension is likely to be just the beginning of Microsoft's counterattack. In the future, whether it is the system or software, whether it is on the PC or the mobile side, there is still a lot that Microsoft can do. If Microsoft can step down, listen carefully to users' opinions, look farther and more comprehensive, and humbly learn from companies that surpass itself, perhaps the time is not far off.