Get ready for the tears, MS soon to pull the plug on Windows 7

[LarryDarrell]

This thread has pretty much turned into a bareback thread.

[Garzan]

3 minutes ago, LarryDarrell said:

This thread has pretty much turned into a bareback thread.

Indeed. Contrary to all evidence and professional opinion to the contrary, there are still a few who believe less than optimal results from their choices will never come home to roost. :-)  Best of luck to them.

[Hollander]

On 05/01/2020 at 00:32, Taa_Saparot said:

I knew it was stupid of me to expect a reasonable answer ...

I like Windows 7.

I have 2 laptops and a Netbook all running Windows 7 and I am fucked if I am upgrading (?) them.

I am sick of change for changes sake.

My Windows Update just started working again, after 3 years of failing, what happened during that time?

I still believe updates will be released or find their way onto the market.

I remain with Windows 7 for the foreseeable future.

 

An intelligent person looks at both sides of an argument before making a decision.

 

Quote

I have 2 laptops and a Netbook all running Windows 7 and I am fucked if I am upgrading (?) them.

 

Doesn't appear a reasoned decision. It just appears as if you just cannot be bothered.

 

I suggest that you give it a go on at least one of your devices, with our help.

 

Once you give our suggestions a try, you might find it better than you initially imagined.

 

Installing using Microsoft's recommended/Express settings is not recommended.  So during the install we choose the options with the best privacy settings and keep to using a local account, as with Windows 7. 

I would also suggest fitting an SSD to the laptop you intend to use. That way, if you are really unhappy, you can simply replace your old HDD and be back to where you were in the first place.

But if, after our help, you are satisfied, you will then have a faster and more efficient laptop that really isn't that different in day to day usage from Windows 7, but even has a few features that you might be happy to have.

 

All this from a mere 500 baht, the cost of a new solid state drive.

 

 

 

[Garzan]

I just saw this article today with some suggestions if you plan to continue with Windows 7. https://lifehacker.com/am-i-screwed-if-i-dont-upgrade-windows-7-by-january-15-1840903120

[article begins]

Deadlines are scary. I know. And Microsoft has thrown Windows 7 users a big one: Update to a more modern operating system by January 15, 2020, or you’ll never receive security updates ever again. Eventually, Microsoft will even start disabling key Windows 7 services—like Internet Backgammon and Internet Checkers—throughout the year.

I’m being a little lighthearted about this, but Microsoft’s abandonment of Windows 7 is a cause of concern for many. Lifehacker reader Douglas recently wrote in with this question:

“I was reading your writeup regarding Windows 7 and I really cannot afford to upgrade at this exact moment. Is it catastrophic if I don’t upgrade now? Thanks in advance for your help”

Catastrophic? No. If you’re still clinging to Windows 7, odds are good that you’re using it to address simple handful of simpler needs—sending email, browsing the web, etc. That, or perhaps you have a few specific applications that don’t work with future versions of Windows, or you might even be running Windows 7 on old hardware that can’t handle the upgrade for whatever reason (speed or available space).

 

Windows 7 will keep working come January 15. However, now that Microsoft won’t be releasing any more security updates for the operating system, it’s true that Windows 7 will be more vulnerable to attack. No question there.

[article continues]

[NorthernSpirit]

Bought and configured my PC pretty much 3 years ago. Together with Windows 10 Pro.

No MS account and stopped it from its 'phone home habits' with a free & neat software called W10Privacy. I didn't to me long to get accustomed to the new OS. Sure some things are different a first, but when have little helpers like "GodMode" (desktop code that shows all important setting in one window) the transition was easy.

Windows 10 Pro runs like a charm for me since and I never looked back to my old Windows 7 Ultimate to be honest. I only had troubles with the 1809 Update. All others worked nicely. Only 2 crashes within 3 years, which I have provoked myself so to say:

- by hitting multiple keys due to losing balance in front of my desk and
- running a game with a very outdated display driver

My old OS wouldn't have liked that as well. The main reason for crashing an OS sits in front of the screen in most cases... 

But even I have to reinstall Windows 10 Pro anytime now it would only take me 30 minutes max to get it up and running again. I'm running it on a small 128 GB SATA SSD, together with a minor amount of software, that only installs on C:\ by default and you're not able to change it. All other software (mostly portable versions meanwhile) runs on other SSD & HDDs. Music, important documents, videos, etc. are stored on HDD (with some backups on external HDDs) as well. 

So if you're going to make the switch do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10 on a small SSD like me and have all other programs & data on other drives. You won't regret it if the worst case happens.

[geezerrb]

On 04/01/2020 at 23:13, geezerrb said:

 

I actually did find my way to the free download and being a "dinosaur" I hate the Windows 10, I remember now I had it on my laptop before but hated it so went back to 7.

It is bloody awful!

I retract my statement I am starting to get acquainted with it.

[NorthernSpirit]

2 hours ago, geezerrb said:

I retract my statement I am starting to get acquainted with it.

Sooner or later you'll have to if you want to stay on an MS OS. Still remember vividly the swap between XP and Windows 7. I had my problem at first but got used to it and loved it in a short time.

General tip for any new & upcoming MS OS:

Only start using it after the first major service pack is released. Otherwise, you will be doing the beta test for them. I personally applied this rule for XP and Win 7 as well and I fared very well with it.

[Garzan]

As a followup to an earlier post by @forcebwithu, Here's an article that goes further in making Windows 10 appear more like Windows 7.

https://www.techradar.com/how-to/how-to-make-windows-10-look-and-sound-like-windows-7

It covers Wallpaper, Start Menu, Start Button, the look of the Aero theme, and startup sound.

 

 

 

[Kahoy]

 

[Garzan]

That YouTube presenter is certainly a whiny little cunt. :-) 555 

For the most part, I do agree that a large portion of computer users could just as easily run something like Linux Mint and be happy as could be. For people who spend most of their time in a browser window, Chrome on W10 vs Chrome on Linux, vs Chrome on Chrome, they are all pretty much the same. For someone mostly using a browser, the (current) OS underneath the browser isn't all that important. At that point it's more a secular religious argument rather than a practical one. 555

However, while I was a huge Linux fan for a number of years, and was Linux only at home for a number of years, I'm currently mostly W10 and Android on the phone and tablet--and I'm considering a new Surface tablet, so I'd only be Android on my phone at that point. I got tired of running emulators to be able to run the applications I wanted to use. As much as I was a fan of Linux for "political" reasons, I admit I got lazy and just wanted my apps to work with a minimum amount of fuss on my part. And while I'm still a big fan of KDE as a visual environment, I do actually enjoy the W10 user interface. Does it have warts? Sure, all software interfaces do. But overall, I got used to it, and my apps just work without needing emulators, or dual boot, or virtual machines or whatever else. Lazy to be sure, but it is what it is. :-) 

[Kahoy]

9 minutes ago, Garzan said:

That YouTube presenter is certainly a whiny little cunt. :-) 555 

For the most part, I do agree that a large portion of computer users could just as easily run something like Linux Mint and be happy as could be. For people who spend most of their time in a browser window, Chrome on W10 vs Chrome on Linux, vs Chrome on Chrome, they are all pretty much the same. For someone mostly using a browser, the (current) OS underneath the browser isn't all that important. At that point it's more a secular religious argument rather than a practical one. 555

However, while I was a huge Linux fan for a number of years, and was Linux only at home for a number of years, I'm currently mostly W10 and Android on the phone and tablet--and I'm considering a new Surface tablet, so I'd only be Android on my phone at that point. I got tired of running emulators to be able to run the applications I wanted to use. As much as I was a fan of Linux for "political" reasons, I admit I got lazy and just wanted my apps to work with a minimum amount of fuss on my part. And while I'm still a big fan of KDE as a visual environment, I do actually enjoy the W10 user interface. Does it have warts? Sure, all software interfaces do. But overall, I got used to it, and my apps just work without needing emulators, or dual boot, or virtual machines or whatever else. Lazy to be sure, but it is what it is. :-) 

It depends what apps you use. If photoshop or the like, yes, they won't run natively on linux. I think professional users of such apps tend to use apple anyway.

On the other hand, if you do any kind of serious app development then linux is way better and far more used than windows. Almost all cloud servers run a version of linux. For anyone considering a career in IT, linux is the only real choice.

I use ubuntu myself and haven't touched windows on my own machines for over ten years. I do support windows for some users at work. The only thing I use the GUI for is to launch browsers, vscode, text editors and the like. Mainly I live in the terminal.

[Barhop]

I now run three Win10s, my NEW main Acer desktop,  my laptop and a smaller Acer desktop I use mostly for streaming.  No problems with any of them.

My previous main (much older) Acer has been updated a number of times to Win10 and run satisfactorily for a time, eventually.  Would get Win10 running and have success with normal updates.  However, spent countless hours trying to rectify failed Windows major updates.  Never again for this particular PC.  So it sits in the next room on Win7 quite happily.  In fact there were some large updates yesterday, even after this was supposed to cease.  Could maybe try Linus one day, but prefer to stay with Win7 on this PC as there are some older programs that I may still use.

So Win10 is my day to day but still have a win7 option in the spare room.  Am happy with that.

[Henrya77]

I use WIN 10 at work, but at home I have Linux.  I have yet to find something that I want to do that I cant do on Linux.  For personal use, I am converted to Linux.

[Leo_Bia]

🙄

Microsoft has announced that from October 14, 2025, it will no longer support Windows 10 – and if you wish to continue to use the operating system, you’ll have to pay for security updates.

https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-charging-for-windows-10-updates-is-a-necessary-evil-but-will-it-get-people-to-upgrade

[G_Money]

Just buy Apple products!  Problem solved.