Microsoft extends support for Vista and Windows 7 for another 5 years

Typically Microsoft offers support for any released operating system for a period of 5 years from the release date.  By support Microsoft means issuing bug fixes and patches for problems found.  For Vista, that support would have ended this year, for Windows 7, in 2015.  Microsoft has quietly decided to extend that support for an additional 5 years, so if you have Vista, you can use it safely until 2017 and Windows 7 until 2020.  For more information on Microsoft's decision, read more here.