.NET Framework 4.5 operating system requirements (no Vista and XP)

Question

Currently, the .NET Framework 4.5 runs only on Windows 7 and above:

Operating system                        Version 4.5 Beta
--------------------------------------------------------
Windows 8 Consumer Preview                √ (see notes)
Windows 7, all editions                   √
Windows Vista, all editions               —
Windows XP Professional, all editions     —

While I understand that XP support is being dropped, I'm a bit surprised by the decision not to support Vista. (After all, .NET 4 supported XP and above.)

Is there any indication (press announcements, MSDN blog entries, ...) that more operating systems will be supported when .NET 4.5 is released?

Solution 1

Microsoft updated the their .NET Framework System Requirements page to reflect that .NET 4.5 now officially supports Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

Solution 2

Anyone can vote for making Windows XP supported on .net framework 4.5 here http://visualstudio.uservoice.com/forums/121579-visual-studio/suggestions/2723735-make-net-4-5-work-on-any-os-that-supports-4-0

Comments

[Lex Li]

Already declined by Microsoft, as it goes against their product life cycle conventions.

[Dmitry]

Build once, run... _on_Windows_Vista_or_higher

[Winfield Trail]

This is why you don't throw in with Microsoft. </whinylinuxdev>

[Tormod]

As XP platform support was extended to 2014, how does support for an in-place update go against their product life cycle conventions? support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?ln=en-gb&c2=1173

[Tae-Sung Shin]

I believe this is another mistake from MS. There are so many computers with XP SP3 in large companies. Because of incompatibility of .NET 4.5, it's obvious that not many devs will use 4.5 that is another 'Vista' for .NET.