Microsoft's decision to withdraw Windows XP Professional from the royalty channel earlier this year has prompted a response from Abacus Embedded. The UK-based distributor has established a Professional hotline to support embedded developers affected by Microsoft's decision.
Abacus is an authorised Microsoft Windows embedded distributor and is able to continue to offer customers with a fixed function device, Microsoft XP Professional for Embedded Systems, a package which says the company is technically identical to the desk-top product in every respect, except the licencing terms, until 2016.
Abacus says it may also be able to offer alternative Microsoft operating systems that may offer a better fit in terms of functionality, footprint size, performance and cost for many customers, and can be used instead of XP Professional.
Nick Donaldson, general manager of Abacus Embedded points out that Microsoft Windows XP Professional is widely used in a host of applications including kiosks, gaming machines, industrial control systems and building management systems.
"Often the manufacturers source their licences through the Microsoft retail channel, and will no longer be able to obtain them from their existing suppliers. A call to the Abacus hotline can not only provide a replacement source for licences, but can also start a discussion about operating system products that may be more suitable and could even be cheaper than the software they are using at present," he added.
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