Microsoft ending XP support on April 8

[Ace-Garageguy]

"already" running windows 7? It's only been out for 5 years.

I'm pretty far behind the curve, but in case you missed it, 30% of the computers connected to the interweb thingy are still running XP, so they haven't "already" gone to 7 either.

I don't buy stuff just because it's "new and improved", because some marketing BS got me to, or because I just have to have the latest and greatest. I buy stuff when the old one is completely useless, or because I want something SPECIFIC.

As long as my old home OS was working fine for its limited use, why bother to upgrade?

I'm odd, I know.

[Rob Hall]

I'm pretty far behind the curve, but in case you missed it, 30% of the computers connected to the interweb thingy are still running XP, so they haven't "already" gone to 7 either.

I think that's only 30% of computers that are running Windows are running XP, not 30% of all computers online...

[Ace-Garageguy]

I think that's only 30% of computers that are running Windows are running XP, not 30% of all computers online...

Either way, it's a lot of effing computers.

EDIT: According to Online Computers and Communications LLC "Windows XP still operates 30% of the world’s computers, most of those business computers, and many people are worried about how the lack of support will affect them."

http://www.onlinecomputers.com/2014/03/18/the-end-of-xp-how-to-protect-your-business/

Computer Weekly.com says "A lack of security updates will put company systems and the personal data stored on them at risk, the ICO said, estimating that 30% of all PCs are still using Windows XP.

Research by UK software firm AppSense indicates that around 77% of UK organisations are running XP somewhere in their IT estate."

http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240217623/ICO-issues-data-protection-warning-on-Windows-XP

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Now does this "PC" mean generic personal computers, or specifically IBM-PC descendent, MS-based machines? Again, either way it's a lot of effing computers.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[eastown]

Bill, I agree with you 100%.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Well today is the big day. Thanks for nothing microsoft. The problem I see is almost 90 percent of OS users are MS.

Heard of to big to fail well in this its to big to care. Most companies would kill for just a 30 percent market share. MS doesn't believe in that the customer is always right MS believes that they are always right.

Vista is only 3 percent of users because it was so good. Windows 7 is almost 50 percent. The joke is MS is having to back pedal and make 8 more like 7.

As one of the XP users that MS has turned their back on I can say that I will not return to you as a customer. I will be looking into the options on what will feed my computing needs. When I buy a system I research to see what fits my needs and not the latest and greatest. Progress is not always an improvement and this is a perfect example.

Bottom line is my XP works for what I need to do and many others seem to feel the same way. I am not interested in having to buy a new computer , software, and peripherals just because MS says so for an unpopular product.

[Lunajammer]

The only reason they keep "updating" computer operating systems (and software programs) is to force you to keep buying them!

...the software company wouldn't be able to make any more money off you, because basically, you and your computer are set for life! So they keep coming up with new upgrades, to get you to open up your wallet and pay for the "latest and greatest."

I think that's more so the case with Apple. MS is so virus and problem plagued that without upgrades to keep the OS cobbled together, it would be crippled by malware and heavy use in three years. MacIntosh is so stable you could be happy as a clam for ten-years plus. They're the ones forcing you to keep buying for more self interested reasons.

That said, Macs may be more expensive, but if you prefer reliable, quality tools their mostly worth the money.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The bigger issue is how long before the AV stops for XP. AV onlys deals with the problems but depends on MS fixing the security issues.

Yes, but if I were the CEO of an AV provider (whose business it is to stay on top of happenings in his own industry), with the long-known abandonment of XP by Tinylimp looming, I would have been looking at developing an AV product specifically targeted to helping the multitude of XP users to protect their machines. It's just common sense to realize that not everyone is going to buy all new stuff to accommodate Tinylimp's decision.

For that matter, I'd also have seriously investigated the possibility of taking up where Tinylimp left off, working on continuing to identify and patch security issues in XP, and offer the continuing patch-service to my AV customers for a reasonable annual fee. A HUGE potential market after Tinylimp's withdrawal... but of course, it would have taken a little out-of-the-box thinking, which is against the grain in most business scenarios

[bobthehobbyguy]

Yes, but if I were the CEO of an AV provider (whose business it is to stay on top of happenings in his own industry), with the long-known abandonment of XP by Tinylimp looming, I would have been looking at developing an AV product specifically targeted to helping the multitude of XP users to protect their machines. It's just common sense to realize that not everyone is going to buy all new stuff to accommodate Tinylimp's decision.

For that matter, I'd also have seriously investigated the possibility of taking up where Tinylimp left off, working on continuing to identify and patch security issues in XP, and offer the continuing patch-service to my AV customers for a reasonable annual fee. A HUGE potential market after Tinylimp's withdrawal... but of course, it would have taken a little out-of-the-box thinking, which is against the grain in most business scenarios

You are assuming that MS would be willing to allow an outside vendor to do this. I my HMO I believe that MS is trying to save face with win 8. They got spanked pretty well with Vista and that shows in only 3 percent of the users. If you go out to buy a new windows machkne it will be 8 and that will boost the win 8 numbers.

[Ace-Garageguy]

You are assuming that MS would be willing to allow an outside vendor to do this. I my HMO I believe that MS is trying to save face with win 8. They got spanked pretty well with Vista and that shows in only 3 percent of the users. If you go out to buy a new windows machkne it will be 8 and that will boost the win 8 numbers.

I don't think "allow" would have anything to do with it. A creative interpretation of existing anti-trust and market manipulation laws, and a massive class-action suit by the abandoned XP users should "spank" Tinylimp pretty effectively.

If GM stopped manufacturing and selling repair parts for all of their vehicles, I sincerely doubt they'd be "allowed" to prohibit anyone else from supplying parts to keep them running. Same thing.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

Of course!

The only reason they keep "updating" computer operating systems (and software programs) is to force you to keep buying them!

It's the same old "planned obsolescence" business plan that the automakers use. It's all about $$$ and getting you (the consumer) to fork over $$$ over and over and over and over again. The computer companies have us by the you-know-whats, and they're not about to let go.

There's more to it than that, and it's an insidiously creeping part of internet use that no one seems to get too upset about. Data mining is taking on a whole new aspect, and it's intrusive BS takes computing power from the machines it's interrogating. I watch the programs running in the background on my own machine, and who's trying to talk to it about what I do. It's a fascinating exercise in totally uncontrolled access to information, and there's more all the time.

Aschango.com is one that looks at what you're doing HERE. And just look at the "users" online at any given time at the bottom of this site. Google, Yahoo and others are there, constantly looking over your shoulder, trying to generate data to sell to marketing firms, tailoring ads targeted to YOU in this very space based on what you type in, and to identify the next trends.

Add to that all the useless marketing crapp masquerading as "content" on every site you visit, and the scripts trying to run, and the idiot advertising animations screaming at you to buy stuff, everywhere, and you HAVE to have a hot-rod machine to keep up with all the processing requirements to run all this BS.

My old XP machine used to run online video content seamlessly, perfectly, no jerkiness (everything from youtube to PBS)...just fine. Recently and more and more, the playback is becoming compromised, even though I only have the one program running and have no-script and ad-blockers installed. I can only surmise that computing power is being hijacked by hidden data-mining BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH, that I have no way to block or even know about. So, to run all this garbage and get the same playback quality I used to have, I'm supposed to "upgrade" my entire system, hardware and software, to accommodate all this shitt.

That's the way I see it, anyway. Somebody in the industry tell me I'm wrong.