Since yesterday Microsoft Windows XP is phased out. Regular users cannot purchase this operating system anymore. Exceptions: business clients, PC producers, retailers and inefficient mini notebooks. Those regulations might end in January 2009.

So basically nothing worldshaking happend yesterday in this respect. The pivotal question is different: Is the "huge crude carrier" Microsoft in a position to develop a smart, handy and feasible operating system?
The odds could be better...

The Google Search of "Windows" and "crap" count 13.600.000 results. Windows XP is flatulent with huge programs which cost a lot of time and nerves of the user. Windows Vista appears to be even worse than its precursor Windows XP in this respect. While the general user most of the time has no alternative to use Windows, Microsoft fears to loose at least the professional users.

A lot of those professionals are already Apple users and prefer the Mac OS X operating system which is so modular configured that it is, as a streamlined version, even compatible with Apple's iPhone. Open Source operating systems like Linux might as well unhinge the giant Microsoft in the future and companies like Siemens Gigaset might be forced to spend effort and money to develop soft- and firmware which are compatible with those operating systems...