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Windows 7 is scheduled to bite the dust at the beginning of 2020 - like Windows XP did a while back. So - unless you have a terminal disease (hope not!!!!) - you will outlive your operating system . Don't recall how old you are - but if you think it's hard to change operating systems now - well it won't be any easier 3 1/2 years from now.
By the time that Windows 7 goes kaput, my computer will be 11 year old and ready for a replacement.
As for the Chromebook, I am aware of the limitations. I do not print much at all and I am looking for a device that I can carry through security without taking it out and a device that I can sit at Starbucks, respond to e-mails, and most importantly, respond with my usual wit and charm on City-Data.
OH BS! if you don't know how to protect your computer using any OS, perhaps you shouldn't be online.
I have a high end computer that I built myself, using some of the latest hardware, running close to 5GHZ on air, BUT it still uses XP! Why? simple,--- I have 2 joysticks, one a micro$oft, neither will work on 7, or 10. I have a nice gaming steering wheel, and foot pedals, it will not work with 7, or 10. I have 4 other gaming, or control devices, they will not work with 7, or 10. I spent a lot of money to buy the *FULL* version of micro$oft office a few years ago, it will not work with 7, or 10. I have a printer that I have total control over, and can refill ink at a fraction of new cartridges cost, it and 3 others will not work on 7, or 10. I have an old full sized scanner that can convert old negatives to color photos, as well as 2 portables, and a wand, they will not work on 7, or 10. I have spent hundreds of dollars on games over the years, some of which I still like to pull out, and play again, I can not on 7, or 10. I have tons of software, and aps that I have acquired, or paid for over the years that are still useful, and viable today, yet they will not work with 7, or 10. True, I have other desktops, and laptops with windows 7 that I *PAID* for, but when I want to have fun, or be productive, I firer up my state of the art XP machine.
So tell me, how is 10, sooo-- "very much better than anything before it."
Face it, Bill Gates cast a line, and many of you *bought* it, hook, line, and sinker.
I very much agree with the bolded. Also - IMO - the biggest danger these days isn't computer viruses. It's accessing things with sensitive financial data - like bank accounts - using unsecured public wifi. Which anyone with wifi can do - regardless of device/operating system.
It's interesting that you're a fan of old games. I ran across a lot of gamer threads when I was tackling compatibility problems I had with my old market charting program and Windows 7. IIRC - turned out my problem was a graphics driver problem. The post-XP graphics drivers simply wouldn't work with my program. In any event - I now have my charting program running on an older XP laptop. Will have to find a new one eventually. Because - in addition to the fact that the program is discontinued and no longer supported by the manufacturer - it works on a Julian calendar. And the Y2K update supposedly only took it up to about 2021. Of course - who knows for sure?
I am also running a super old DOS program on the XP computer. Although DOS programs can theoretically run on Windows 10 - my 32 bit program can't run on a 64 bit OS. Or at least I've been told that it can't. Perhaps I'll give it a try down the road.
Other than those really old programs - dating back from the 90's (and not too many people are using vintage programs like that) - I think this Windows 10 computer is superior to my old XP laptop. Faster - quieter - handles multi-tasking - rich graphics/streaming content better - etc.
FWIW - Windows 7 came out in 2009. So the hardware/software that you say won't work with Windows 7 or later has to be considerably older (more than a "few years" old). I know the oldest hardware I've installed on this Windows 10 computer is a 6 year old HP multi-function printer. Did take a bit of time to figure out the right drivers I had to install to get all the functions working - but I eventually figured it out. So it's not like Windows 10 doesn't have at least some backwards compatibility. OTOH - asking any new computer/OS to work with hardware/software that is 15-20+ years old is probably a stretch. I haven't been able to play this game on any computer I own for probably 2+ decades now:
Well, a laptop and a tablet are two different animals. I've owned a number of pcs, incl laptops, over the years. Never a tablet...because it doesn't do what a computer does. And it isn't intended to. If all you need can be done on a tablet, then there's no reason to get more complicated and buy a computer.
Agreed.
But - if you want to experiment with a tablet - you can try one of these:
I picked up last year's model last year for about $35 during a pre-Christmas sale. OTOH - I really don't use it much (I use my computers and my phone). Robyn
One thing to remember is that the Windows 10 free upgrade period has expired. This moves the budget needle for a lot of folks.
As I said earlier in this thread - I am not a fan of upgrading operating systems on existing computers. Whether or not the upgrades are free.
I think the time to upgrade operating systems is when you're upgrading your computer. Whether it's because you want a new zippier computer and/or because your operating system doesn't cut it any more. In my case - I was forced to upgrade because of discontinued support for Windows XP. But am pretty happy with the new computer too. It's just so much smoother/faster than my old computer - which really wasn't designed for my current internet speeds and many of the graphics rich web sites I frequent these days. Robyn
As I said earlier in this thread - I am not a fan of upgrading operating systems on existing computers. Whether or not the upgrades are free.
I think the time to upgrade operating systems is when you're upgrading your computer. Whether it's because you want a new zippier computer and/or because your operating system doesn't cut it any more. In my case - I was forced to upgrade because of discontinued support for Windows XP. But am pretty happy with the new computer too. It's just so much smoother/faster than my old computer - which really wasn't designed for my current internet speeds and many of the graphics rich web sites I frequent these days. Robyn
Since this is no longer on the retirement forum, I'll do a little longer and more technical explanation.
There is nothing inherently more faulty or risky about upgrading an OS vs. a format and clean install. I've done it dozens of times without an issue. I've imaged and upgraded hundreds of PCs in corporate environments from XP > 7 and probably several dozen from 7 > 10.
When I built my current computer, I literally stuck in a Windows 8 bootable USB stick and got it started, then went to the grocery store and came back and the computer was ready for use. It was painless and uneventful as could be.
Back in the Windows XP days, I'd have to have driver (basically controller) software for virtually every peripheral in the PC. I'd have to have my motherboard's disk for network drivers and install those once Windows loaded, then manually download software for each component. It was really for hobbyists only and building a PC today is basically an hour or so of screwing parts together in the case and starting the OS install - the OS can basically handle it from there for a conventional build the average senior would want. If you have sophisticated needs or unusual items connected to your PC, then yes, you'll have to do some independent work, but the folks in that situation are generally technical and know what they need to do.
Problems generally come from older peripherals where the various vendors have not updated drivers to run on the newest operating system. This sound card was an absolute dream years ago and I still haven't personally heard an integrated card that can deliver such rich stereo sound. I got one of these in high school - it came in 2002, and driver support now would be long gone. If you had this in a new build for Windows 10, I'm sure it would be problematic.
If your computer can run Windows 7, it can run Windows 10. One benefit of upgrading to 10 is that the upgrade creates a "digital entitlement" for that PC forever. Microsoft essentially tracks an internal serial number in your PC, and once Windows 10 is activated on that PC, you can even roll back to Windows 7 if you want and use that, then go back to 10 at some point in the future with no hassles.
Windows 7 will probably enter end of support somewhere around 2020. At that point, there will probably be a successor to Windows 10. At least on Windows 10, you'll have support, and possibly the ability to upgrade to the next OS at a free or reduced price.
As always, I'd back up anything that is absolutely critical (tax documents, business documents, family pictures, etc.) to some sort of off-site cloud storage, and anything on internal drives to an external USB drive...at a minimum, before disrupting the OS on any existing PC.
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. Don't recall how old you are - but if you think it's hard to change operating systems now - well it won't be any easier 3 1/2 years from now.
