Microsoft (News - Alert) will be discontinuing its Windows XP operating system at the end of June. After that date, Microsoft’s new OS, Vista, will be the only choice. However, since most businesses have thus far resisted the move to Vista, this is proving to be an unpopular move with consumers. To respond to the consumer disapproval, InfoWorld magazine is starting up a campaign to give Windows XP a stay of execution.

The magazine launched a new Web site yesterday called saveXP.com. The site includes an online petition, tribute videos, and even a clock counting down the time until XP is planned to be discontinued. More than 4,500 people reportedly signed up in the first hours the site was up.

 

InfoWorld’s new site claims that the improvements of Vista don’t make it worth the upgrade. In addition to the obvious factors of time and money, they point to things like software incompatibility and productivity losses.

 

But the backlash against Vista is “business as usual in the first year of a new operating system,” according to a spokeswoman from Microsoft. The software giant takes the position that after time, the “save XP” campaign will be seen as unnecessary.

 

Although Vista has sold better than any previous Microsoft OS, there continue to be ongoing complaints of sluggishness or difficulty of use.

 

Businesses already using XP will still be able to buy more copies—for now, at least. Some authorized dealers will even continue selling XP for businesses through the end of the year.