Windows XP Support ending April 8, 2014

[mattl]

Or you could abandon Windows completely.  I've still got a couple of Windows units running, but I  have pretty much switched over to Linux Mint.  It's very widows like interface will feel very familiar to people, and has everything a normal user would need pre-installed.  Little learning curve, and the one weakness for me is the Thunderbird email program, but it's a minor thing.  There are few viruses out there for Linux so I run naked, no AV is needed.

 

It can be run off a 4G memory stick to try it out.  Works fantastic on older equipment that will not support newer widows versions.  Of course if there are windows based programs you need to run it's a bit of a hassle but Wine works pretty well.

 

 

http://www.linuxmint.com/pictures/screenshots/petra/cinnamon.png

 

[warmsecondrinse]

Linux, anyone?

I've read a lot on this issue and I just don't buy Microsoft's argument for ceasing support. Last I read about 30% of the world's computers use XP and apparently Microsoft plans to desert most of them. Am I wrong about that? I'm not about to send them $$ so I'm moving to Linux.

That said, I've one laptop with Windows 7 and I don't find it much different XP except that I have to click through more menus to get to anything in the computer itself. All programs seem to run the same as on XP

I have 2 older laptops. They are/will have Linux Mint 16 added so I can dual boot. Outside of making sure the peripherals are all compatible I can use Linux for everything except for ONE company I do occasional on-line work for. That company requires Windows or Mac :-(

Through work I have one free download of Win 7, so I'll install that on one laptop...only because I don't have to pay for it.

Microsoft can and will do whatever it feels like. That's fine. I'm just happy I don't have to follow them.

 

[washer111]

*WARNING* This IS Techo-Babble

The thing is, that 30% is still a lot of corporate users in particular. Most home users probably abandoned XP by the time Windows 7 came out (maybe some held on after the "Vista Diaster") or have upgraded since.

The corporate environment represents a whole different kettle of fish - Staff training, computer migration and testing to ensure that Corporate Networking Components (Active Directory, Roaming Profiles/Folder Redirection, Group Policy, File/Resource Sharing) are all functioning as they should.

I know in a number of environments, the transition only begun about 2 years ago, and is still no-where near completion, whereas others migrated quickly and efficiently. I guess it all depends on the different applications these networks are used for.

 

Back in 2009, those corporate folk had the lifting capabilities to push Windows XP to now, so it will be very interesting to see if they have the ability to fell the giant once more, if they should even try.

Something tells me M$ might just push support out a little longer, and end it next year with Server 2003. I know that last time, it was due to end and they (MS) were perhaps saying "No exceptions," although I cannot remember. In China, I think that IE6, MSN (The social-networking tool) and even Windows XP may still be supported. Over there, XP usage rates are still around 70% of ALL computers. Try to get all of them to switch in <1 month!!!

So at least in this regard, the corporate folk have saved home users some money, if they believe M$'s scare tactics. They also saved themselves lots of money.

 

Like I said before, provided people excercise safe browsing habits and keep a good up-to-date Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware, you should be 100% fine. You don't even need those two things if you are very particular about how you use your computer, or you don't even browse with it (And instead run a File Server from the system).

I've also mentioned before my local Supermarket still run Windows 2000 (which is registered under the old business name too), another two on Windows XP and the "main machine" on Windows 7. That won't change anytime soon, I don't think. AFAIK, our local drugstore might has a mixed bag of OS's from Windows 2000 too. So you can see that there is certainly no issue sticking your heels in the mud - provided you do it right

 

[launderess]

Around Win98 or so MS realized it had a problem; many business customers and consumers simply would not upgrade to the latest Windows or whatever software just because MS said so. This was often for good reasons.

First if often took months after installation to work out all the bugs, kinks, and other problems associated with MS's bloated software. So by the time you finally got things to run the way you liked MS wanted to sell you another OS upgrade?

Next most users simply didn't see any need to upgrade as whatever they had suited their purposes. So what to do?

Well some bright spark at MS came up with a new way to line Bill Gates's pockets; simply stop supporting "older" versions of Windows and other software. Sooner or later persons would have to come around.....

The other trick was to clamp down on pirated copies including persons "lending" their software full install CD's. Our first computer came with full installation CDs for Windows98 and every other bit of MS software. That does not happen any longer. You get a DVD/CD but not everything is on it and you can only do full installs once or maybe twice free of charge.

Being as all this may MS knows it has a huge problem, the death of the PC. As sales of personal and desktop computers declines so does the need for Windows. Then there is the growth of Apple.....

 

[jeffg]

"Being as all this may MS knows it has a huge problem, the death of the PC."

Hardly. In the battle of medias (one-way cable TV and two-way internet) only one eventual winner is possible. Type "cord cutter" into Google and see what comes up.

The major problem for MS (and other greed mongers like Adobe) is open source software, e.g. Linux, GIMP has replaced Photoshop in the world's graphic shops, MS-Office has been replaced in the corporate realm with Open Office, etc. It's the death of the concept of paid computer software, and IMO good riddance. But your main point is correct imo, everyone I know has done the exact same few things (email, web browsing etc) on every version of Windows ever released. MS has followed the greed tradition of reselling the same basic operating system five (or is it six or seven now) times over, dropping support for previous versions and making them altogether unavailable to PC builders facilitate this legalized extortion.

 

[perc-o-prince]

If you like XP you'll enjoy Windows 7 just as much

I'm Chuck, and Windows 7 was NOT my idea!

I loved XP (sp3) and hated 7. At first, that is. Still don't like it as much as XP, but I won't have a choice when I want a new laptop and will have to go with the worst Windows ever- 8! At least 7 is still somewhat friendly.

I just bought an LCD display for the old Insignia desktop that's running XP sp3. As soon as I get that fired up again that's what I'll be using for music/photo manipulation. We have a lot of 33s that we want to digitize, and my old Print Shop Deluxe Ensemble was a GREAT photo enhancing tool!

Chuck

 

[warmsecondrinse]

A good 15 or 20 years ago I saw a list of predictions for the year 2025. I only remember one:

"Microsoft has perfected Windows. It now crashes prior to installation."

 

[whirlcool]

And remember you just can't use an upgrade disk to move from XP to 7. You must backup everything, then reformat the hard disk, load Win 7, then load all your apps from their original disks and THEN restore all your data. For most people it's either too much for them to handle and they just go out and buy a new computer. Much easier for them.

And remember for some people, even turning the computer on to use it tests the limits of their computer knowledge. Just ask me how I know that!

 

[arbilab]

Microshaft = bloatware (as if we didn't know)

Windoze absorbs every speed/power advance in hardware. My W98 box starts in 90sec, shuts down in 12sec. How many gigahertz you ask? Zero-point-four. That's right, a 400mHz P2 runs W98 faster than a 3gHz P4+ runs XP. Yes there are certain things it won't do, like run any updated Adobe file (PDF, Flash), and it won't install any 'current' software, but I don't need those.

PDF and Flash would be nice, only because they have become ubiquitous, not because they are good. I consider anything under the Adobe brand malware. It nags me to update without looking to see that such an update would bomb my whole system. "Bomb my whole system" is what viruses do. Adobe is malware, and it's not just me saying that.

Read the link under Security and Stability, Marketing Ethics, and especially Creative Cloud, where you pay Adobe monthly and if you stop all your stored files become inaccessable. Except of course to hackers, along with your credit data. Adobe is rated #5 of most hated internet companies by reddit, and 'reader' and 'flash' are in the 'top 10 hated programs of all time' on techradar.

Sorry, I drifted. But Microshaft isn't the only asshole corporation in the software business.

Adobe Inc. - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[mark_wpduet]

I posted a while back

about my windows 8........I recently got a brand New Lenovo Desktop and a Lenovo 15 inch laptop......Both had windows 8, which I upgraded to 8.1 via the windows store.

I have ZERO problems with windows 8.1 now. But I added a free program called "Classic Shell" which basically looks just like windows 7 or xp (depending on the way you set classic shell to display)

Using both my computers, you would SWEAR you were using windows 7.

Even still, I've navigated around metro and figured out how to find things, close programs, apps, etc. It's super easy. Classic shell just makes it more usable to me (easier to find things the way I always have, even though I have figured out the new way.) But after having used this for a few months now, I could get along without classic shell if I had to, but I like it....

And Boot up time is fast.

Speaking of open source vs. Paid...... Didn't the same thing happen to DivX? Developers created a codec called XviD (open source) that matched the DivX codec or was possibly even better..And I think XviD would work on any DivX certified device.

 

[washer111]

@arbilab

Oh I totally agree with you. 

 

Web-Designers (well, some. Not Robert. I mean Google and the like) like to over-use Java and Flash.

At the end of support for a recent Windows OS (9x/2K or NT4), there were about 50 known vulnerabilities in Windows, and about 6 times more Flash vulnerabilities. Shows their strengths, right? 

Recently, Firefox installations disabled Java due to some serious security flaws. 

 

I'm hoping that HTML5 is going to fix some of this - it won't help those who have nostalgia computers, but at least it might be more tolerable for the rest of us

 

 

[davetranter]

'Nostalgia Computers'

That's probably me, then.... For Internet I use XP sp2. For pretty much EVERYTHING else I use Win 98 or DOS 6.2. As Arbilab says (Reply#27) my 300MHz P2 starts faster than my 'internet' computer, and is a rock solid platform.

I couldn't find an 'antivirus' program which didn't require sp3, so I don't use one. I am, however, VERY careful as to which sites I visit, which 'links' I follow, and what files I download... and also delete all cookies/history/temp files several times per session. So far, so good....

All best

Dave T

 

[tecnopolis]

Does anyone use CCleaner?

 

[wayupnorth]

Mark

How did you get the classic shell. I did a search and tons came up but I dont want to download something that is not what it should be. I just want this computer to work like my old one did. Windows 8 is not for baby boomers that just want it to do what they want it to, not tons of apps they dont want to mess with and they are not interested in.

 

[jeffg]

This came up first on a search for 'Windows 8 Classic Shell':

Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements

 

[moparguy]

Tim, I am with you, I think windows 8 is the worst ever. Dumbs down a computer to be an icon-screen driven device... totally ignoring those of us that prefer not to use touch screens. To manage as best possible, I go to what may be close to the 'classic' screen, by entering the windows icon (key to the left of the space bar) and 'd', that gets rid of the cumbersome icons. It still seems to me that, like many icon/touch screen driven devices including new car dashes, that it takes much more effort and actions to do simple things. And why does Microsoft always make it so cumbersome to shut down, I mean that "charm" on the upper right and then "power" and then "shut down". Really? Can't be done with one simple command???

 

[washer111]

Windows 8 = Microsoft Bob (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...gfe_rd=ctrl&ei=v08yU_EqqY3xB_OigdAB&gws_rd=cr) = Packard-Bell Navigator = AOL "Kidz Only"()

 

All of which were equal to useless interfaces that never lasted.

 

And to shutdown's one's PC - Configure the Power options so that tapping the Power-On button starts the "Shut-Down" sequence

 

[wayupnorth]

Yes Jeff, Youre right. But I went back to the original screen with old reliable AOL. I just want to find a file, document or do whatever without swearing at this this thing trying to find it or clear it out on 8. I am retired now and cant be bothered to go back to school to learn yet another new operating system, but it would have been nice if there was an instruction BOOK on 8 included with this new Dell that was included with all my old pc's. Been there, done that trying to figure it out by myself. I started in the 70's with Fortran OS, and talk about a nightmare system. I am too old to bother with smartphones, tablets or any of those, because I cant SEE them. I like my old fashioned pc with a big screen, mouse and full size keyboard.

 

[moparguy]

I couldn't agree with you more... if they wanted to do such a major change, how about ANY documentation or users guide or basic 'cheat sheet'??? My cynical opinion is that XP support is being terminated to force people to purchase/adopt the hopelessly unpopular and panned windows 8 that has not met a fraction of sales objectives. That said, do be sure to update to 8.1, it is no charge once you have 8.

 

[washer111]

And the worse part is, M$ is reducing the cost of it's OS's.

 

BIG PROBLEM: How on EARTH do they expect to produce anything reasonable without an adequate monetary-basis to fund R&D from? They can't possibly expect boosted sales from the cheaper prices to help...

This is why I think Apple's OS is probably going to go down the toilet too - Now Mac-OS (X) is free, how do they support developers?

 

Aside from Linux buffs, who choose to do this for free, I wonder how they'll pay their workers... Maybe by cutting proper R&D into almost well-designed OS's.

 

I think some people still think that the UI that came after Windows 9x/Me and Windows 2000 was somehow a detraction from Windows:

Why is Windows XP Bad?