And they were given 6 years warning like everyone else............scandalous!

While I think the IRS are a bunch of criminals, and I am no fan of MS, this is supposed to be a 'free market' system, and MS is not obligated to release patches for XP to the public.

That's what the leaks are for.

... doesn't really matter what software they use. they'll have to be upgraded at some point, incurring cost.

Remember, the IRS is 'sovereign.'  Taxpayers are 'subjects.'  'nuff said. 

If they did it in 2008, then the money would have been used for W7 on their computers for 6 years more, thus decreasing the cost per year and not necessitating $11.6 million for patches at all.

See? Si?

The day to day crap that goes on without relenting one bit.  It is no wonder that the common folk or the person on the street could just care less and less with each passing day.  Are governments wasteful, you bet your life they are.  Will something ever happen to change this, not a chance.  Should we care more, of course we all should care more.  Will us caring cause a revolution, nah. 

Here's a thought, everyone stop paying federal income tax, that might get someone's attention and some of us free room and board. 

They'll need more jails. Here's a thought......lets turn Manhattan into an island prison. Wouldn't have to make too many changes.

You might be less than thrilled with your roomie.

Lot's of companies are still running XP, even the Veterans Administration on some PC's.

Tom...from the support costs ($200 per machine per year), just guess how much MS is raking in.

Yup! Greed ... the American way! Hell, I give money away to help others when I can, you'd think Microsoft, who makes billions, could do the same for this country.

Hell, I don't live in the US, but if my government was paying out 11 mil a year on patches for an obsolete OS, I'd be spitting chips and demanding better... much better over the next 6 years.  I mean, they're eventually going to HAVE to upgrade, so why not bite the bullet and do it now, before the costs blow out on making do with band-aid solutions.

Not to mention that which the UK, Holland and other European countries are paying for extended XP supprt.... which all seems so stupid to me.

If an OS has been retired, then it IS RETIRED.... FOR EVERYONE!!!  No ifs, buts or maybes!  MS has to stand up and be counted, not lay down and get mounted.... and that means saying no to whoever wanting 'special considerations' beyond the company's plan going forward.

For mine, MS should tell the IRS to go stick their money where the sun don't shine.... same for EVERYBOBY else and retire XP permanently and irrevocably.

And here's another point of view.  If MS can provide extended XP support the IRS and others, then it could probably extend that support across the broader community at little or no extra cost.  In other words, if XP users stay away in droves and refuse to uprgade to Win 7 or 8/8/1, given this IRS situation, what is MS going to do: extend XP support to the public or; withdraw XP support completely and force upgrades to the latter OSes?

Given the slow uptake to Win 8, you would imagine MS would prefer tha latter option, with increased Win 8 sales being the desired outcome.  However, that is unlikely if the buying public digs in its heels and refuses to upgrade while XP support is being afforded to some but not others.

Another question that begs here is this... what if the IRS doesn't want to upgrade to Win 7 because it thinks its employees are too thick to handle the change?   Hmmm, wouldn't that make US citizens wonder who the fech is handling their taxes?

Ya that's what I've been thinking ever since I saw this post.  They've kind of painted themselves into a corner - One lawsuit will say unfair business practices for doing updates for a select few and not releasing them to the public or at least offering a public subscription.  On the other hand, if they backtrack and release them or offer a public subscription, the lawsuit will be about all the people and companies that trashed perfectly good machines only because of the o/s expiration date.

Either way we'll probably see at least one of those class action lawsuits that net the lawyers 40% of gross and the participants $1.95 each.  I'd guess that MS's best position would be to not do public releases and maintain the IRS support as "Contract Work".  As MyFist0 said, it is a free market system.