But, one might say, "my precious updates, where would they be?" The answer to that is also simple: you don't need them. You probably haven't seen many of those patches in recent years anyway. The end of support only means that you cannot call Microsoft and tell them where you'd like their products, along with BillG and SteveB, to shove themselves into.
The irrational fear of hackers breaking into your old XP should not become your top priority. Any router+firewall from any big box electronics store will protect your XP well enough. (If it won't, then the hacker works for a TLA, and then nothing that you do will make a difference.) XP on a laptop that you connect in airports to random networks is a less interesting plan, but still this was done by millions of business travelers, so you are in a good company. There are pretty serious 3rd party firewalls; many of them, actually, even if you discount the built-in one.
It also helps that XP is on its way out. There is no profit for hackers in looking for new vulnerabilities in it. Whatever XPs are remaining, they are typically a limited purpose boxes, and they contain nothing of interest to the hacker.
Often you stay with XP because you must. Your old software just doesn't work on anything else. I have several XP laptops; they run software that controls custom boards via crude bitbanging. Can't say why, but it doesn't work on Win8 - and works on XP. There are many other applications that do not work on anything but XP, and nobody is going to rewrite them - neither for free, nor for money. There is a lot of old hardware (printers are a separate class within that) that only have drivers for XP. Sometimes the ISV offers a new version of the software that works on the latest Windows... but it's not free; you have to rebuy the software, with minimal (or zero) discount. Upgrading of one XP box may cause a chain reaction, and in the end you will have to upgrade all the other hardware and software to the tune of thousands of dollars, while gaining nothing.
An XP user should be today a happy user. XP is finally his to do whatever he wants. If you have a collection of software from XP era, all that will work forever, as long as you do not need new features or support. (Support is often overrated - who ever called MS when they couldn't do something in Windows?)
Linux, Mint+KDE in particular, is good. But your investment into software and training on XP costs more. Pick the OS that runs your software that helps you pay the bills. This is the primary selection criteria. If your PC is only used to access Internet, though, then you are welcome to the world of Linux because it works just as good (if not better) as any OS from Redmond, does not bother you about licensing, and is fully supported (for free or for money,) and is receiving software updates.
So happy to read that. I bought Windows 7 pro 4 years ago, was not compatible with my work although techs had said it would be. Had to go back to XP. Still on IE7 which I only use for work.
At some point there was one guy who was the last selling whale oil.
Once you have that configuration working you can re-create your Windows XP system as needed. You can also control how much network access you allow to the VM installation of Windows XP.
You are wrong in your assertion that there is no profit in hacking XP. XP machines are all over the place, and in incredibly sensitive uses.
Why you should upgrade Windows XP.
Two of my computers run XP and I have already installed Linux Mint on one of them, with the other to follow. Mint is okay. My other computers/devices run Windows 7 or Android. The Mint machines won't be used for anything critical.
“There is no need for anyone to upgrade (?) from XP.”
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I am with you. I have had XP for years. It is on my 6 yr old Toshiba laptop. If I were still a kid I would be into trying new tricks, but I am now too old to do that.
My wife and kid are using a Dell that I took on hock. It has W7, I think. I do not like trying to use it.
I may soon have to replace the hard drive in my old Tosiba. I do not look forward to doing it, but when I do, I will stay with my XP.
Thanks for the helpful post.
“Any router+firewall from any big box electronics store will protect your XP well enough. (”
Thats just not true. A basic firewall is certainly good but it will hardly protect you from application based malware or hacks.
1) To begin with, MS 'support' has always been shite .. as you mentioned, try calling them, but have a couple sandwiches and beverages handy to get you through the wait.
(not to mention an interpreter)
2) Home users (ie. at your residence) should be running a NAT router (inexpensive) and software firewall (mostly free) regardless what flavor OS they're using.
3) Top those two items off with a decent free anti-virus app
4) Don't be a moron and download stuff like clickthisvirus.exe etc
While no hardcore techie/coder/etc, I've been a Win user for a long time, but MS's current release cycle is even more egregiously cynical than usual, and they can kiss my white ass.
I have two machines running XPpro and they'll continue to do so into the foreseeable future.
I am, however, thanks to Ace and a couple others, going to setup a dual boot on both of 'em w/ some flavor of linux and see how it goes.
If the results seem workable, the two W7u boxes here will be getting the same makeover.
Hopefully the day will come that my comfort level with the open source stuff will allow me to have a ceremonial MS bonfire out back.
(btw, did i mention that office 07 sucks with a ferocity that can't be described without a major profanity-laced rant ? !)
Especially since there are versions of Linux out there known as kiosk distros that run off of a bootable disc and allow no hacking whatsoever in any machine you run it on. Simply insert the disc, boot from it, and it automatically detects your video and network hardware and launches a web browser, typically firefox, and nothing else. Runs off of system memory, requires no swap space, and absolutely nothing is allowed to be written to the drives on your system.
Great way to use an older computer for web searches and emails!
Thanks for your insights. I was thinking the same thing although I am not a technie and really don’t know what happens after April. All I know is my recording software and interfaces are very old and I don’t think I can get updated drivers.
I used to upgrade to the latest and greatest at every offering, frequently having to upgrade my hardware and other software in the process. This goes back to DOS! Everything works good together now so no, I have no intention of changing anything.
The hackers won't be targeting XP any more than they are trying to break into TRS 80s. I have used Vista, 7 and 8 at work and none are as fast or stable as my old dinosaur. Thanks but no thanks.