Posted on 03/29/2014 4:30:04 AM PDT by Las Vegas Dave
Windows XP is dying. On April 8, Microsoft will stop supporting the ancient operating system that was released in 2001 and at one point was used by 400 million people.
You might think that an operating system that was actually engineered in the late 90s would be fully obsolete and unused by now. After all, since XP came out, Microsoft has released several major replacement versions: Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 (recently upgraded to Windows 8.1).
But theres something about Windows XP. Its basic, stable, fast enough, and good enough for a lot of people. Its still running on more than 10 percent of the worlds computers, and its huge in China.
Still, its time. Its hard to keep an operating system this old up to snuff in todays online environment. XP works, but its not built to the same security level as modern operating systems. Microsoft doesnt want to keep writing new security upgrades for it, so on April 8, its stopping. No more security updates. No more support. Your XP computer will still work, but Microsoft wont help you anymore. Microsoft is pretty harsh about it: XP cannot be considered safe to use after support ends.
ends.
Microsoft urges you to upgrade. Theres even a site that tells you when your XP world will end: AmIRunningXP.com. Microsoft also has more info on what "end of support" means. To be fair, moving off XP would be a smart thing to do. Newer operating systems are easier to use (at least most of them), they run the cool new apps, and theyre definitely safer. But how do you move from an old computer thats running XP into the modern era? Ive heard a lot of advice on how to make the transition. Not all of it good.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/still-on-windows-xp-heres-some-bad-advice-80911845810.html
Wow! A mini Y2K.
Pirate Bay : )
http://thepiratebay.se
It only makes the Start Menu look close to older systems. You still have to play peek a boo to find other functions. One interesting thing Classic Shell restores is "Hibernate". What makes many persons including myself loathe 8 is several unnecessary annoyances. Mandatory "Cloud" for one especially if on metered usage. The hiding of needed system settings on the bottom right. The annoyance is you have to play hide and seek and they often pop in in scrolling a page. The default X BOX Video player stinks. No "X" to close it. Yet another go to the corner and see if it's there annoyance. I like to have never got IE to allow me to open a window in a normal size. I got the one third screen compressed screen.
W 8 was poorly vetted among users. It seems the Tablet users were the BETA testers. The OS is designed mainly for accommodating Tablet users but not with long time desktop users in mind. Last is things like their default Mail Client. It stinks but Mr Haney at MS will now "Rent" Outlook to you in a high cost full package deal per year.
Yes long time MS customers had good reason to be angry. In all aspects except maybe security W 8 is a huge downgrade from what previous OS offered up through W 7. It seems more like the beginning of an Internet Slum Lord program. Most things you had before included you can now rent at the mercy of Corp MS. Meaning they can end your access to said app at any time.
If not, leave it as is.
My aging eyes first read that as 'I enjoy these threats'.
I have a couple of old 1999-2003! Compaq laptops I use for similar legacy app support -- an OBD-II interface, a 2m Walkie-talkie interface, and a handheld GPS interface. These machines have no personal information, heaven forbid no financial information, and although they connect to the world through my routers, I fail to see the threat. Other personal machines are Linux. If the OS were entirely lost I would restore it via an image backup. I do monitor and run AV on the XP machines occasionally but so far, nothing.
LOL. Damn those MS folks!
Consider doing a partition image backup afterward for safekeeping with Ping or similar, as I'm going to do.
"Will Microsoft Security Essentials be supported after April 8, 2014?
"Microsoft Security Essentials will not be available for download on Windows XP after April 8, 2014. If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials installed, you will continue to receive anti-malware signature updates through July 14, 2015. However, please note that PCs running Windows XP after April 8, 2014 should not be considered protected.
"Will Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool be supported after April 8, 2014?
"Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool is aligned with the company's anti-malware engines and signatures, and as such the removal tool will continue to be provided for Windows XP through July 14, 2015. However, any PC running Windows XP after April 8, 2014 should not be considered protected as there will be no security updates for the Windows XP operating system."
Would running Win8.1 and using Office 2003 be safe?
I used Win7 for many moons - far more stable than XP.
My new ASUS Ultrabook came with Win8 which I immediately upgraded to Win8.1. Easily the best and fastest of any MS OS Ive used.
On XP now. Had a 1 TB drive I thought it was bad so I replaced it. Had other hardware problems now fixed. Old drive is still good. Would like to go to a dual boot with Linux as the primary on the old drive. Any ideas where to start?
XP is so much more intuitive than 7 or 8. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?
I needed to get a laptop quickly last fall, so I got on at BJ’s. I think it’s a Dell, (dude). I always have trouble figuring out how to boot to the window desktop, but I don’t use it very much. I couldn’t get outlook 2007 to install on it. The only thing it’s good for is hooking it up to my flat screen TV and watching Amazon instant video.
Running Virtual Box for Windows with Linux Mint on a VM gives me all the internet access I need...and I get to keep my XP and all the applications I love.
Windows 7 and 8 are good operating systems...for me to poop on.
R you prolife? Find out about Linux and software that will set your computer free from the shackles of Microsoft.
http://prolifepc.com/resources.html
“Ive been using Linux for the past 5 years . ..”
Plus, Linus doesn’t give to Planned Parenthood, like Bill Gates does.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.