Windows XP loses MS support tomorrow

[boots]

Those dirty boogers. XP is the only one I've ever liked. Just turned on my work computer and got the message that XP is no longer supported. I guess I'll have to get used to the "new, improved" Windows eventually.

I have Win8 on my laptop at home and I hate it.

[sepulchre]

I've got Win 7 on my laptop and it seems okay. But I aint coughing up $100+ just for ole Bill and his buddies. If it would run my stuff I'd go Linux.

[boots]

I just got an email offer for a free upgrade to Win 8.1. Is it really free? I've heard 8.1 is more "XP like" for those of us who don't relate to smart phones. If I wanted a smart phone, I'd get one. But I sure don't want my computer acting like a phone! Win8 is very smart-phone-like.

[Phil_S]

I just got an email offer for a free upgrade to Win 8.1. Is it really free?

Nothing of value or worth having is ever free. Read the fine print. Likely it is a free trial. Once you load it, 30 days go buy and they ransom the payment from you. Be careful.

[Phil_S]

...A friend of mine just 'upgraded' to Win 8 only to discover that Presonus has no plans to provide Win 8 drivers for his beloved Presonus Firestudio 2626... do your due diligence.

Many learn this important lesson the hard way. It takes a backup and effort to roll back an "upgrade" when you discover you don't like it for some reason. Lack of drivers is a much bigger problem than most people imagine.

I've got a pretty nice HP color laser printer that I finally took off line because it was just too much trouble. I've been meaning to put it on the curb with a "free" sign on it, but just can't bring myself to do that.

[Satchmoeddie-II]

I may try to reload XP on another desktop ans keep it for using Tubecad. Tubecad won't work on a 64 bit system. I still run an old Copmpaq Win98 with Buzz Feiten, and a lot of GPIB on it. It never goes online, as the flies get corrupted too often when I went online, so maybe it is time for Win7 and an offline XP 32 bit. I still run pre-Pentium to do simple GPIB IEEE-4888 stuff that tracks various amp performance parameters. I don't need more than simple DOS or Basic to take a voltage & or current reading every 10 seconds for 2 days & record it. MS was going to stop updating XP in 2012, then 2013, now 2014, and it looks like my desktop was just updated, maybe for the last time. I hate Windows 8.1!

[crbowman]

I've got Win 7 on my laptop and it seems okay. But I aint coughing up $100+ just for ole Bill and his buddies. If it would run my stuff I'd go Linux.

Amen Brother!
I run Ubuntu (Linux based OS) on one of my desktops at home and love it.
Now if somebody in the open-source world would just come up with a good, full featured recording platform for Linux based systems. Reaper, I'm looking at you guys......

[cbass]

I liked widows 7 I just got the better half a new laptop with windows 8 and i find it unuseable She seems to like it though.Of course she is way better at computers than me

[LeftyStrat]

For those of you that would like to try Linux, but still need windows for some programs, you can download VirtualBox for free:

https://www.virtualbox.org/

Then you have two choices. You can run Linux inside of VirtualBox, or you can install Linux, run the Linux version of VirtualBox, and run Windows inside a virtual machine.

Personally I'd do the latter, assuming you have a Windows install disk. Linux is still pretty snappy on older hardware.

70% of the computers in China are running Windows XP. Some hacker is going to have a huge botnet in the near future. Enough to take down any web site other than Amazon or Google.

[sepulchre]

Thanks, Lefty. I have Ubuntu, got it for investigating Windows/virus problems. I really haven't gotten into it any further than that but maybe I will with virtual box. If I do like it I'd consider doing like you said and use the box to run Windows apps as long as there are no limitations or latency problems.

The only OS disks I have are XP.

[LeftyStrat]

Thanks, Lefty. I have Ubuntu, got it for investigating Windows/virus problems. I really haven't gotten into it any further than that but maybe I will with virtual box. If I do like it I'd consider doing like you said and use the box to run Windows apps as long as there are no limitations or latency problems.

The only OS disks I have are XP.

You can always start out the easy way, Linux in VB, and then switch once you're comfortable. Obviously installing a new base OS is more involved.

I use a Mac, but I have Windows and Linux virtual machines for some tasks.

There's a bunch of free music software for Linux that is quite good. Check out Ardour:

http://ardour.org/

[C Moore]

I've got Win 7 on my laptop and it seems okay. But I aint coughing up $100+ just for ole Bill and his buddies. If it would run my stuff I'd go Linux.

I have a basic knowledge of Electricity/Electronics.....but I Know Nothing about computers.!
Is their a Tutorial/Explanation that walks a person through installing "Linux" on an 8 Year old Dell that runs XP.?
Thank You

[LeftyStrat]

I've got Win 7 on my laptop and it seems okay. But I aint coughing up $100+ just for ole Bill and his buddies. If it would run my stuff I'd go Linux.

I have a basic knowledge of Electricity/Electronics.....but I Know Nothing about computers.!
Is their a Tutorial/Explanation that walks a person through installing "Linux" on an 8 Year old Dell that runs XP.?
Thank You

Go here:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

Scroll down to 'Try Ubuntu before you install it.' There are instructions on downloading and burning a disk or installing on a USB stcik so you can boot into Ubtuntu and try it out before installing it.

[Structo]

Personally I think Windows XP Pro is the best that M$crosoft has developed.
Especially after Service Pack 3.
But time will tell.

Despite it's many updates and vulnerabilities it was a good OS for customizing your OS to your needs.
Pretty darn stable if you just tune it to your needs and don't mess around too much in the registry.

I guess I will keep it until I get buggered by malware.

Plus this is an old box that still has a AGP port and simple PCI busses.
So it would be a big expense to buy a new motherboard, processor, video car (PCI Express), and drives.
Although I do have 4GB RAM in this PC.

And since it has since been updated by Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 & 8.1, I think the malware people may concentrate on the more modern operating systems.

Now about this Heart Bleed worm..........really?

It goes on for who knows how long and we are told change our passwords.

Really?

[LeftyStrat]

As far as Heartbleed, this is why I have two different passwords. One for anything involving money (bank, paypal, utilities, internet, amazon, etc), and everything else.