Windows downgrade rights, XP and legacy applications: Resistance is futile!
Conclusion: Organisations that need to run legacy applications under Windows XP will no longer have access to economically sustainable options. In short, there is no way to maintain an XP environment without Software Assurance, and thus there is no practical way for an organisation to continue to run legacy applications without investing in Software Assurance or Enterprise Agreements for the desktop. Organisations should factor in the significant licensing costs when considering the business case for continued support of ‘XP only’ to legacy applications.

About The Advisor
Joseph Sweeney
Dr. Joseph Sweeney is an IBRS advisor specialising in the areas of workforce transformation and the future of work, including; workplace strategies, end-user computing, collaboration, workflow and low code development, data-driven strategies, policy, and organisational cultural change. He is the author of IBRS’s Digital Workspaces methodology. Dr Sweeney has a particular focus on Microsoft, Google, AWS, VMWare, and Citrix. He often assists organisations in rationalising their licensing spend while increasing workforce engagement. He is also deeply engaged in the education sector. Joseph was awarded the University of Newcastle Medal in 2007 for his studies in Education, and his doctorate, granted in 2015, was based on research into Australia’s educational ICT policies for student device deployments.