Top 5 Control Engineering articles: Microsoft Windows XP

Should Microsoft think again? The end of Microsoft Windows XP support and related topics remained hot among the Top 5 Control Engineering articles posted weekly on www.controleng.com in April.

By Mark T. Hoske May 14, 2014

The end of Microsoft Windows XP support on April 8 had Control Engineering readers seeking information and advice on staying safe and secure with machines and control systems still using the Microsoft Windows XP operating system after that date. Should Microsoft think again about ending support? It reportedly has, for a price. Several governments and very large companies reportedly are paying Microsoft large amounts for individualized continued Windows XP support.

For a four-week period, the topic of Windows XP, discussed in four articles, held seven of the 20 top positions at www.controleng.com.

For the Top 5 Control Engineering articles, April 20-26, the topic held two of the top 5 positions. Its rankings were as follows:

1. One strategy for the passing of Windows XP — A cyber security expert offers advice for finding one silver lining in the passing of support for XP. It might get companies to face larger realities.

5. Are Microsoft technologies still best for process control systems? — Engineering and IT Insight: Process control architects and designers are questioning the 15-year wisdom that you cannot go wrong by picking the Microsoft environment for a process control system. See 6 critical requirements for process controls.

For Top 5 Control Engineering articles, April 13-19, the topic held three of the top 5 positions. Its rankings were as follows:

1. One strategy for the passing of Windows XP

4. Are Microsoft technologies still best for process control systems?

5. For machines that cannot be upgraded, what needs to change now that Microsoft Windows XP support has ended?  "Ask Control Engineering blog" sought advice from industrial software developers related to the end of Microsoft Windows XP support. Here, Beckhoff Automation provides answers related to Microsoft Windows XP obsolescence.

For Top 5 Control Engineering articles, April 6-12 and for March 30 to April 5, the topic held the top position.

1. Goodbye Windows XP; Hello IsXP? — Microsoft Windows XP support ends April 8. What happens April 9? Three things to remember.

In addition, control system programming, almost always of strong interest among readers, continued, with the following article ranking in the top 5 for two of the four weekly periods noted.

PLCopen part 4 blurs the lines among PLCs, robotic, and motion control — Inside Machines: The PLCopen working group for motion control has standardized and logically defined all aspects of machine control programming, providing one of the best attempts of integrating PLC, robot, and motion control in an easy-to-understand language common among many manufacturers.

The weekly list is developed using CFE Media’s web analytics for stories viewed on www.controleng.com, for articles published within the last two months.

Control Engineering will provide a monthly analysis of topics and trends that Control Engineering Top 5 reveals, though not always on the "Think Again" page. See the News section in June.

See also in news, "CSIA 2014: Everyone has responsibilities for cyber security."

– Mark T. Hoske, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

Online extras

For access to each of the articles above, click into this one, and then click the prior weeks, as needed, at the bottom of the posting.

Top 5 Control Engineering articles, April 20-26

See the Microsoft Windows lifecycle fact sheet.


Author Bio: Mark Hoske has been Control Engineering editor/content manager since 1994 and in a leadership role since 1999, covering all major areas: control systems, networking and information systems, control equipment and energy, and system integration, everything that comprises or facilitates the control loop. He has been writing about technology since 1987, writing professionally since 1982, and has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree from UW-Madison.