Product life-cycle policies provide advanced notification of planned changes in product availability and support. Under the Microsoft® Windows® Desktop Product Life-Cycle Guidelines (published in February 2001), Microsoft planned to make Windows desktop operating system licenses available for purchase for a minimum of three years and assisted support offerings available for four years after general availability. During these periods, Windows desktop product availability and assisted support would move through the Product Life-Cycle Phases identified below.
Under these new guidelines the "latest generation" of Windows desktop operating system licenses will be available for purchase for a minimum of four years and assisted support offerings available for up to seven years after general availability. However, during these periods, Windows desktop product assisted support will move through a modified set of Product Life-Cycle Phases identified below.
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