THE UK GOVERNMENT has bought a lifeline for Windows XP ahead of the software's 8 April cut-off date, handing Microsoft £5.5m to continue supporting the operating system for an additional year. The government's £5.48m will ensure that Microsoft continues to provide critical and important security updates for Windows XP, Microsoft Office 2003 and Exchange 2003, and comes just five days ahead of the operating system's End of Life.

UK government buys last-minute lifeline with £5.5m Windows XP support deal- The Inquirer.