On August 24th, 2001, Microsoft's Windows XP operating system was officially released to manufacturing. With a retail release date of October 25th, 2001, it served as the successor to Windows 2000 and Windows Me. Upon release, "Windows XP" was critically acclaimed, noting an increased performance compared to older Windows operating systems. The Windows XP desktop background became one of the most iconic images of all time. Mainstream support for Windows XP ended in April 2009, and extended support ended in April 2014.
