Love it or hate it, it looks like Vista is here to stay for a little while longer.

Microsoft has confirmed that it will stand behind its policy to offer operating systems for at least four years after launch, as well as providing support. This means that Vista will be available through January 2011 for sure.

Microsoft will also continue to offer support for the OS, however they have also said that they will no longer offer mainstream support for Vista beyond April 2012, maybe sooner. Business and Enterprise editions will still receive security updates through April 2017.

As Windows 7 will offer many improvements over Vista as well as alleviate a lot of headaches surrounding it, it makes sense for Microsoft to try and push users away from Vista. Just like Windows ME, expect to hear little about Vista once its replacement comes to market.