On 30 Jul 2015, rbowman wrote in alt.home.repair:
True, the charms won't be missed. I *can* trigger them... unfortunately, it's usually when I don't want to see them.
But for me, Windows 8.1 + Classic Shell is just about as usable as Windows 7, and Windows 10 offers no advantage over either.
Unless I'm missing something, it looks like for the vast majority of those of us using Win 7, we'll kind of have to upgrade to 10 within the next year, unless something changes. Win 10 is free for us only for the next year. After that, unless something changes, you're stuck with Win 7 and an uncertain future, ie how long they will support it, updates, etc. With 10, you're on the latest, going to be fully supported longer, etc. My plan is to probably do nothing until next year.
W7 works and will for some time. By the time you must upgrade, chances are you'll be needing a new computer.
Worst case is you'd have to pay $100. I think you can download it and not install until later, but I don't know if you can wait months to install it. In other words, DL it at the end of the year and wait as long as you can to do the install.
Nobody ever gave me a compelling reason to abandon XP and I still have a couple W98 machines.
| > What is so awful about W7 or W8.1? They are all Windows. | | There is nothing wrong with 7.
It all depends a lot on how one uses Windows. For browsing and free webmail service there isn't much that one needs. If one can find the Internet Explorer icon then that's enough. If one doesn't mind being spied on by Microsoft, Google and a dozen advertising data researchers then Win7, Win8, whatever... it doesn't much matter. Win10 might be even better. It's locked down more and with its own AV, so security will be less of a concern.
For people who install a lot of software and like to control their system, there are a great many differences between versions. XP installs at about
1 GB. A disk image can fit on a CD. There are very few system restrictions. But there is Product Activation. With earlier versions of Windows one actually owned a copy of the software on disk and could install it at will. (It was still licensed for a single machine at one time, but one didn't need to get permission from Microsoft to install it.)With Win7, a basic install takes up 7-9 GB and grows from there. Access restrictions are extreme. Under normal circumstances there is no such thing as a user with status to control the system. Microsoft is the Administrator. Microsoft claims the right to have the computer call home. Again, all of that doesn't much matter for people who have no idea what the file system is, who don't know where their files are, and who don't care about privacy. People who live by MS Word, Picasa, dropbox and various ad-supported services may never even notice that they're locked out of the Windows system. But for "power users" it's a pain in the neck. And there are numerous less noticeable issues: Since MS started refusing unsigned drivers it can be extremely difficult to get hardware installed in some cases. In the future look for more restrictions on software. Already, starting with Vista, software has been getting gradually pushed out of access to the system. In some ways that's good, but it's all part of a gradual trend toward locking you out.
Each version of Windows has generally been a further step toward locking out access and turning the product into a services device. With Win10 Microsoft has control over what the system will be. Not only will they install updates without asking (some updates cause big problems for some people) but they may also decide to change the interface, install software you don't want, etc. It's Windows services now. Expect ads. (By default there are already ads on the Start Menu, masquerading as "suggestions".) There are also indications that MS may start charging monthly fees once they've got a large number of people settled in Win10:
None of those thing are necessarily bad for everyone. People who shop online and use freebie services may find later versions of Windows more user-friendly. That's the lesson that Apple learned: The more restricted the system is, the more stable it will appear to be and the more usable to the general public. But if you like to open the hood, so to speak, then the progression of Windows over the past few years reveals a discouraging and insidious trend.
On 07/30/2015 8:16 AM, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote: ...
And an NT4 laptop... :)
(altho no W98 left, there is still a bootable OS/2 Warp partition, too; some utility power plant performance monitoring systems we developed are still actually running 24/7 so must maintain this until the utility finally decides to change platforms for those...)
It's apparently amazing to some that the bits don't change; only the marketing ploys to sell product to keep the vendor revenue stream flowing.
Mainstream support for Window 7 ended in January. 'Mainstream' means non-security updates, phone support, and so on. Security updates will end in January of 2020.
To put it in context, extended support for XP ended in April of 2014. At that time, 27% of the systems were still running XP despite all the FUD campaigning to get people to move on. That includes many businesses.
I'm still running one box with 2000. Newer applications won't install but it does what it does as well as it ever did. If you're happy with you Windows 7, you can keep your Windows 7.
As people start using 10, consumer satisfaction will determine its success. It didn't take long for the word to get out that Vista and 8 sucked badly. Microsoft is betting a lot that 10 will have a warmer reception. It's not only MS either. PC and tablet sales have flatlined and the industry hopes the new OS will stimulate new hardware sales.
I could never get my copy of W98 to load ... I did get 2K to load and run , but it's just not quite as functional as XP . Every comp here (5 at the moment) is running XP pro , and I don't plan to change that .
I'd be the same if I'd ever had to go to 8.1. Put a decent shell in place and move on. I did buy a new desktop system this spring but the Dell had 7. It was a no-brainer to buy a leftover 7 rather than the same hardware with 8.
The only interesting thing I've heard about 10 so far is the ability to have multiple desktops. I've used third party add-ons in the past and it wasn't the smoothest experience. Maybe MS got it right. My primary machines a Linux and I have 4 desktops at home, 8 at work. I work on several different projects at once and having each in its own desktop beats pawing through multiple cmd icons and editor icons to find the right combination.
Windows 2000 is much more stable than the DOS-based versions, and XP works better with high-speed internet. After that, I saw little if any improvement. Mainly, they (later Windows) made it harder to find and use stuff I use regularly.
New software may not install on XP, but I see no reason not to keep using it for existing software that still works.
I'll probably stop using it on the web, when they stop updating Firefox. That's no reason to stop using it for DVD authoring.
I always do my own OS install. No junk the manufacturer puts on with it.
I frequently use multiple desktops on Linux (other than on a laptop with a hyperactive touchpad that keeps switching desktops randomly).
It's own AV (Windows Defender) which is also part of Windows 8/8.1, is nothing more than a baseline AV program.
Even Microsoft recommends using a 3rd party AV program.
Take a look at Windows Defender's test results here (just scroll to the bottom lol).
That's been SOP since Windows 3.1. Move/rename old functions, add enough bloat/bling to require new hardware , tell users it's new and improved!
nb
I have win7 on my desktop, and I really like it. On my laptop is XP, and I like that, too. One bummer was when Microsoft stopped supporting XP, but it still works as it is. I'm trying to figure out if there's any benefits of upgrading to anything else aside from it being a newer version of windows.
MS had almost 15 years to get XP all worked out. All my computers have XP except a couple of old slow ones that I have to use DOS or WFWG on to program up some old radio gear. I don't want the operating system to do anything for me except get the programs I want to use up and running. I don't think I use anything from the operating system but the email.
If W7 and XP work, no really good reason to change that I've seen so far.
If you do not mind that your ass is hanging in the breeze when some new vulnerability comes along. Taking XP online these days is suicide, Win7 is good for a couple more years.
More hyperbole than fact. Anyone who actually trusted Microsoft to keep them safe deserves what they get. You need 3d party firewalls and virus software. Most infections are still self inflicted wounds, simply running software that is hidden in Email attachments.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.