Posted on 10/23/2012 7:47:47 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe
No I went to a four year college and I have used various types o computers over the years. But anyone still using XP, Excel 97 and an ancient Toshiba is obviously extremely cheap.
No I went to a four year college and I have used various types o computers over the years. But anyone still using XP, Excel 97 and an ancient Toshiba is obviously extremely cheap.
Windows XP, made by Microsoft, has not been sold for several years. Microsoft does no new development on XP, and only a bit of limited bug fix and security updating. There new development and serious updating is on their current Microsoft operating systems, Vista and Windows 7 and 8. XP is really archaic, and the main reason people stick with it is because Microsoft has not been very adept at bringing new operating systems to the market that take advantage of the new technologies, that people are interested in using. So, many Microsoft XP users are like drivers of 1986 Ford Taureses. They like their car. It works. It may take a lot time keeping it on the road. But they dislike the uppity people who suggest that maybe it’s time to trade in the 1986 Taurus. There is nothing wrong with driving a beater or using an archaic computer which is frequently invaded by strange viruses and requires hours to get it running again. You can even take pride in the fact that you are able to keep that dinosaur running.
Tell me again how you use an ipad to manage databases. That is hilarious.
Have you thought about upgrading? My experience with 97 Office products is that they are very buggy (especially Outlook). The newer versions are more stable. See about getting a refurbed laptop. OEM versions of MS software can be had cheap from eBay.
I don't. Because, 99% of the time, it's just a headache.
And with computers, it is usually user error. Or as we call it in the biz: an ID10T error, or PEBKAC (Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair).
The distant second is a software failure. Although it does happen more often than it should on Windows machines.
Hardware failures have become so rare that most people forget they can happen. However, the devices that are susceptible to wear (i.e. mice and keyboards) still wear out.
Macroviruses used to be the big thing, and Excel was particularly susceptible.
Macro viruses haven't been a problem since Excel and Word disabled macros by default. If you are still running a version that doesn't, you really should upgrade.
Since you ‘appear’ to be a noob here.. Just to let you know, Admin Mods made a STRICT rule on this WebSite (FreeRepublic) about not going into a thread about a particular OS and insulting it, or their users for another OS.
This particular thread was created asking for assistance.. not for someone to be an @$$.
I bite my tongue every time I see a ‘fanboy’ hijack another thread... and my tongue is bleeding now from biting hard.
Advice, be nice or your stay may be short.
$$$$ Microsoft does no new development on XP, $$$$
If you’re calling new development a Service Pack, that may be true. But, that’s not what you said. You said XP was a non-supported operating system and that is not true. It will become unsupported like Win 95 and 98. When that happens, I’ll go to Windows 7 Pro or Windows 8 Pro.
I’ve been on Win XP Pro for many years. It’s the most stable OS I’ve ever used. BSOD’s are almost non existent and I have yet to find a proggie that won’t install on XP.
Yes, I’ve had to reformat a few times, but most were my fault and I’ve had 3 hard drives failures over the years.
"Upgrading" would cost $12,000 today and about $1500.00 a quarter on top of that. What i am using does the job and is paid for.
I need laptops for portability, and the code key is a 25 pin. So I'm going to hang with what I have as long as I can.
The system I am using accommodates software which is essential to my work with a 25 pin code key (not found on Toshiba laptops after the M4). The cost to move to a 'newer' computer (not counting the computer) for me is roughly 15,000 in software costs alone, and ongoing fees (currently) of $6,000.00 a year. No thanks. I can spend the money better elsewhere, and as long as I can get parts I can fix them.
I have also noticed that just from moving from my original version of MS Office to 2002, graphics no longer display correctly, plots don't plot, etc. The old stuff works, and frankly, I don't have time to reinvent the wheel.
Ahhh, the Frozen Platform. Awesome. Salud! If you can keep it running 10-15 more years you should be able to open an on-site working PC museum ala Sturbridge, Plymouth Plantation, etc.
On the ‘glitch issue’. Sounds like a simple application error. When was the last time the partition was defragmented? After that you should do a full backup then do a chkdsk /fix. On the reboot go into BIOS and read the S.M.A.R.T. data on the HD looking for errors.
As a general rule the applications and files used most often are the first to fragment. And the larger the file, the quicker it fragments. I’m guessing you don’t use Outlook otherwise this post would be about an Outlook error from fragmentation and/or HD errors.
Thanks for advising our obviously young FRiend Yasmar with regard to the in advisability of posting cr@p about someone else’s choice of OS.
He was making the rest of us who use Apple products (and in my own case, Windows, Linux, and Unix as well) look bad.
Posted from my iPad
Likewise, I usually use Linux... sometimes Window, if I must... ;)
Frankly, most of the whistles and bells in later versions won't help me any, and in my profession, I don't want connectivity beyond what I have now. Forget the cloud, neither I nor my clients want all that data out there where it can be hacked.
Currently, windows keeps updating XP, and until I can't get the job done with it, I'll be using it.
It is amazing how much has changed, but most of that is aimed at the send video/facebook/piddling on the web crowd and not just working (at least not the kind of work I do), and really isn't useful to me. I prefer the more boilerplate menus and formats because they are easier to work with when you are on your eighth straight twelve to fourteen hour day with an average of four hours of sleep.
Much of what may have to be converted to carry it over is archived on thumb drives and large backup drives already. As for the machines, internal hard drives are cloned and replaced every two years, (MTBF in my case proved to be about 2 yrs, eight months, and I can do without that stress.)
I have replaced cooling fans, drives, displays, inverter boards, power boards, memory, batteries, AC adapters, and even hinges, ('board' replacement level repair isn't hard--but anyone who can fix the boards has my respect) and the machines keep on going--and the parts are affordable because there are enough machines out there being cannibalized to keep mine up.
It's better to upgrade to a newer system while both systems are working. I'm sure you understand the value of this, being able to get use to the new system, while still using the old system.
True, and eventually I will make the jump, but that won't get the job done tomorrow.
I'm waiting for a system that gets the reviews XP did, and by then it'll be a quantum leap.
I'll have to reinvent the wheel, but it'll be on a system which people will want to stick with as much as XP, so it will be around another decade or more--by then, I'll likely be retired or dead, so beyond that it won't matter.
You are incorrect. I simply and politely offered the opinion that Apple products would do a better job. Others became obnoxious about the topic with snide innuendoes. They should be banned from the site.
Boy you are going to be in big trouble with the Microsoft masochists here. You stated above that you successfully used an iMac and you made disparaging comment about viruses. The Microsoft guys love fighting viruses and take offense at posters who don’t support viruses. Just sayin’ be careful. Maybe it’s best to let them have their viruses and spend weeks searching for replacement fans and motherboards and 5 inch floppy drives. Just don’t suggest they consider doing something that might help them. It gets then all angry.
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