End of Windows XP support spells trouble for some

FatRakoon said:
I often wonder...

What exactly does Windows 7 offer that windows XP does not?

For the vast majority of people, they use a program, oh lets say internet explorer perhaps, but the O/S is mostly irrelevant .
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Moreover, Windows XP is an OPERATING SYSTEM. People seem to forget that the main point of an Operating System is to operate a computer, which XP still manages to do. It also runs most of the modern browsers without an issue and plays most low-end (up to DX9) games, without an issue.

For most people, it still does everything they use a computer for, so if they haven't bought a new computer, they are not going to see any reason to change.

There is little point in just changing for the sake of it.

I know this post will get jumped on by the idiots, so I will just say this now: I am in no way saying that those who buy a new computer should get one with Windows XP on it, they should either get one with Windows 8 or Windows 7. I am also not saying that Windows XP is better than the newer OSes (save Vista :p) however the point still stands, that it still does what an Operating System should do, and that is run a computer.

Yes, DOS does that just fine too, but XP is a lot easier to use for the masses than DOS...
 
linktoinsanity said:
Moreover, Windows XP is an OPERATING SYSTEM. People seem to forget that the main point of an Operating System is to operate a computer, which XP still manages to do. It also runs most of the modern browsers without an issue and plays most low-end (up to DX9) games, without an issue.

For most people, it still does everything they use a computer for, so if they haven't bought a new computer, they are not going to see any reason to change.

There is little point in just changing for the sake of it.

I know this post will get jumped on by the idiots, so I will just say this now: I am in no way saying that those who buy a new computer should get one with Windows XP on it, they should either get one with Windows 8 or Windows 7. I am also not saying that Windows XP is better than the newer OSes (save Vista :p) however the point still stands, that it still does what an Operating System should do, and that is run a computer.

Yes, DOS does that just fine too, but XP is a lot easier to use for the masses than DOS...
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It does, but it's old now, and from a security perspective it just doesn't cut it any more. People don't buy new cars (generally) because their old one stopped transporting them places, they buy a new car because their old one got, old.

There are also people like in the article posted that bought XP computers just before they stopped selling XP computers, despite the fact that Microsoft was openly ending support soon. That seems a bit daft, and for companies that "didn't know" then their IT people should have told them! If they don't have IT people, then anyone interested in IT did know for years!
 
linktoinsanity said:
Moreover, Windows XP is an OPERATING SYSTEM. People seem to forget that the main point of an Operating System is to operate a computer, which XP still manages to do. It also runs most of the modern browsers without an issue and plays most low-end (up to DX9) games, without an issue.

For most people, it still does everything they use a computer for, so if they haven't bought a new computer, they are not going to see any reason to change.

There is little point in just changing for the sake of it.

I know this post will get jumped on by the idiots, so I will just say this now: I am in no way saying that those who buy a new computer should get one with Windows XP on it, they should either get one with Windows 8 or Windows 7. I am also not saying that Windows XP is better than the newer OSes (save Vista :p) however the point still stands, that it still does what an Operating System should do, and that is run a computer.

Yes, DOS does that just fine too, but XP is a lot easier to use for the masses than DOS...
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Problem with XP is it will get no more security updates or support so only idiots or people that don't care will still carrying on using it.

I wonder how much malware is spread because of insecure operating systems?


I also miss DOS but have moved with the times because newer operating systems are more secure and also have support from Microsoft,end of the day there are plenty of supported and even more secure free operating systems out there like Linux for example then XP so no real excuse why anyone should not be using an operating system that is still getting support.

I have no real issues with anybody using XP but don't bitch and moan because your XP is phased out and no longer supported,get over it and move on like most of us have,if you stay on XP prepare for the risks security wise.
 
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abbotsmike said:
It does, but it's old now, and from a security perspective it just doesn't cut it any more.
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Explain ?

What does Win 6+ Give in terms of security, that XP cannot.
I am sure that update XY or Z gives us that security surely?

abbotsmike said:
People don't buy new cars (generally) because their old one stopped transporting them places, they buy a new car because their old one got, old.
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I both agree and disagree on this one.
Only because my Car and My motorbikes are all getting run right into the ground before I even think about replacing them.

My car, Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec Automatic ( Petrol ) has hit 236.000 Miles ( yup, thousand ) and its running every bit as sweet as the day I bought her... Admittedly, she bears the battle scars of being in my driveway, but I have no intention of gettign rid of her just yet. ( Oh and so far, she has never failed an MOT )

Same with my bikes... You want to see the CBR... Its a true "MadMax-esque" survival bike. She looks grrr, but she rides Ahh...

I see many people doing the same thing with their O/S

I myself am on 8 on my main PC but I went back to 7 a couple of months ago, and then after a couple of weeks, I upped to 8 again... I am regretting it now. The only reason I am not in any rush, is simply that it does everything I need it to...

abbotsmike said:
There are also people like in the article posted that bought XP computers just before they stopped selling XP computers, despite the fact that Microsoft was openly ending support soon. That seems a bit daft, and for companies that "didn't know" then their IT people should have told them! If they don't have IT people, then anyone interested in IT did know for years!
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Oh they knew... They simply wanted to get rid of the older kit knowing that these idiots will be back soon enough to upgrade.
 
FatRakoon said:
Explain ?

What does Win 6+ Give in terms of security, that XP cannot.
I am sure that update XY or Z gives us that security surely?
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User Account Control, protection against drive by installs. Generally a more secure OS. The security patches are just that. They PATCH issues after they've been exploited on some devices already. Those exploits may not even need patching on 7/8 because it is inherently more secure.

There's plenty of data out there showing that infection rates are far higher on XP machines as well.

FatRakoon said:
I both agree and disagree on this one.
Only because my Car and My motorbikes are all getting run right into the ground before I even think about replacing them.

My car, Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec Automatic ( Petrol ) has hit 236.000 Miles ( yup, thousand ) and its running every bit as sweet as the day I bought her... Admittedly, she bears the battle scars of being in my driveway, but I have no intention of gettign rid of her just yet. ( Oh and so far, she has never failed an MOT )

Same with my bikes... You want to see the CBR... Its a true "MadMax-esque" survival bike. She looks grrr, but she rides Ahh...

I see many people doing the same thing with their O/S
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You are very much in the minority. Most people buy (or rather, rent) a brand new car then replace it three years down the line for another new one. Did you know that last year something like 90% of new Mercedes were 'bought' on PCP or Hire Purchase type deals?

I know several people that are shocked that I plan to keep my 75,000 mile car until it's north of 100,000 because "It will be knackered by then, surely?" Yet these same people expect their PC and OS to live forever, with absolutely no maintenance...
 
abbotsmike said:
protection against drive by installs.
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Drive-By installs ?
Absolutely PMPL uncontrolably

abbotsmike said:
Generally a more secure OS.
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I know, but...

abbotsmike said:
There's plenty of data out there showing that infection rates are far higher on XP machines as well.
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Data out there can be misleading too... Hell, I have come across certain polls that show Linux is the most unsecure O/S out there, but yes, I can accept that i9n terms of security, the newer an O/S is, the more secure it will be.

abbotsmike said:
You are very much in the minority. Most people buy (or rather, rent) a brand new car then replace it three years down the line for another new one. Did you know that last year something like 90% of new Mercedes were 'bought' on PCP or Hire Purchase type deals?
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I dont know of a single person that has NOT bought a car on some kind of HP, and as for renting, sure, I myself have often thought about that instead of buying a new car, but then again, I live in Wales, and in wales, the income of a typical household, is well below the povery level the UK, so around here, only wealthy people can afford to rent... The rest of us buy a used car for under a grand and make it last.

So, when you say minority... You clearly have not seen how many others have to survive. In England, unemployed people get more in benefits, than people in wales do on a full time job!

abbotsmike said:
I know several people that are shocked that I plan to keep my 75,000 mile car until it's north of 100,000 because "It will be knackered by then, surely?" Yet these same people expect their PC and OS to live forever, with absolutely no maintenance...
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Oh yes, I have seen that too! - All too often. Makes my blood boil.

Its like you get asked to help someone out with a cheap PC, something for £50 or less and you give them a basic PC thats just about good enough to do basic browsing and emails and then they not only moan that its not got Windows 7 on it, but they also moan that it cant play Call of Duty either.

I see this sort of thing almost on a weekly basis.
 
FatRakoon said:
Explain ?

What does Win 6+ Give in terms of security, that XP cannot.
I am sure that update XY or Z gives us that security surely?
Click to expand...

A limited/standard user account will mitigate a lot of vulnerabilities. Nobody should be running as administrator by default.

http://www.techdata.com/(S(yobezx45...ust_2009_Microsoft_Vulnerability_Analysis.pdf
http://www.avecto.com/documents/reports/ms/WP_MS Vulnerabilities Report_FINAL.pdf

A limited/standard user account will contain most malware in userland. This makes removal of the average malware much easier.
 
I think MS threatening XP users on security grounds has backfired somewhat :)

Anything with a network cable or WiFi card is insecure.
 
I'm finding it odd that numerous XP machines at one company are now flying up errors and crashing and generally being unusable. After some research I found it's an issue with MSE, which I thought had it's support extended?

Either way, the fact it's making these machines unusable due to stop errors and causing massive slowdowns on already slow computers is not good.

Has anyone else run into this problem?
 
abbotsmike said:
People don't buy new cars (generally) because their old one stopped transporting them places, they buy a new car because their old one got, old.
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But that analogy isn't relevant to this XP argument. A closer analogy would be to say that a person who has a 10 year old car gets told by their insurance company that they can no longer insure it fully comp, only 3rd party. The car still works fine, but if they get into an accident, they may not get their money back.

I am sure a lot of people in that case would just continue to drive the old car third party until it finally died, rather than having to spend £10k on a new car that is fully comp.
 
El_Watcher said:
But that analogy isn't relevant to this XP argument. A closer analogy would be to say that a person who has a 10 year old car gets told by their insurance company that they can no longer insure it fully comp, only 3rd party. The car still works fine, but if they get into an accident, they may not get their money back.

I am sure a lot of people in that case would just continue to drive the old car third party until it finally died, rather than having to spend £10k on a new car that is fully comp.
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Car years aren't the same as OS years.

You might consider XP like a 40yr car with poor security, poor crash protection, no air bags, abs, running on leaded fuel and uneconomical.

It will still get you from A to B. However.
 
don' see the issue with win8/8.1 takes all of 5 mins to have it looking like win7 if thats your thing.
Personally I have migrated to crunchbang as my daily os.
 
Phil2008 said:
Im guessing you havent used xp right from launch day or for a few yrs when everyone was a xp user. XP was a fantastic OS.
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I used it from launch and of course it was a step up from 98 but always hated the awful colour scheme and it never felt snappy, even a fresh install, let alone after being in use for a year. It was only when Windows 7 came around that everything fully came together into a polished, modern OS, although of course the massively more powerful hardware now available plays a part.
 
OspreyO said:
Car years aren't the same as OS years.

You might consider XP like a 40yr car with poor security, poor crash protection, no air bags, abs, running on leaded fuel and uneconomical.

It will still get you from A to B. However.
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Jeez. I would absolutely disagree with that.

Win 7/8 is not THAT much better than XP.

Admittedly, I moved to 64Bit computing the day that XP64 Came out ( Well, I had to buy a router over my old BT Modem, and a new printer as the C42 didnt work with 64Bit but once I got those, Iwas abel to reinstall it )

And XP64 for me, was vastly superior to basic XP.

But I think you are putting it down FAR too harshly.

( says a guy who wont put XP onto anything he owns )
 
Pinkribbonscars said:
I used it from launch and of course it was a step up from 98 but always hated the awful colour scheme and it never felt snappy, even a fresh install, let alone after being in use for a year. It was only when Windows 7 came around that everything fully came together into a polished, modern OS, although of course the massively more powerful hardware now available plays a part.
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I too hated the colours.

I had moved to Win2K very early on and I found the move to XP a little unecessary. When I finally did take the plunge, it was with a hookie copy but after a few weeks, I decided it was not for me.

I used 2K for ages afterwards and I only bought XP purely because I had bought a couple of games that didnt like 2K but worked on my mates XP... Turned out to be my GFX card after all, but there you go, I bought it now and had no choice but to use it. When forced, I found liked it.

Funnily enough, I had a similar thing with Vista but thankfully Win7 came out before I was forced to use it, and weirdly enough, I have my Vista Licence on a PC upstairs and I somehow like Vista now... Sicne SP2 its been stable.

Win 8 however is a weird one... I got 2 pro licences and I am still going back to 7 time fter time after time. On my main Laptop it has Win8 on it right now upgraded from 7 and not yet activated, and this PC has Win7 on it after me trying 8 for almost 2 months but I have software that simply does not run in Windows 8 so thats a real killer for me. I kind of think that 8 is quicker than 7 and even though I have all the junk to get it to look like 7 tyhat slows it down, it kind of balances itself out due to Win8's superior speed. ( Placebo possibly though )

Sod it, wheres my 3.11 Disks?
 
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