NOTICE: Last Windows 7 Updates today

[mysteryowl]

Just in case this is helpful for anyone. My Windows 7 just updated x4 new updates, including security updates. Windows 7 updates expire after today.

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Fare thee well, 7

A very good OS.

[hlthe2b]

2. thanks... I still have an old machine that I keep off the internet, but may as well update

while I still can. At least it is good for storing a few things.

[mysteryowl]

3. Yes, exactly!

[PSPS]

4. Don't be so sure

They said the same thing about XP six years ago but I have one XP machine that still gets the occasional update. It doesn't make any sense to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 only because of this announcement. By now, virtually all bugs in Windows 7 have been patched anyway and any programs you have running on it (i.e., browsers, Quickbooks, Adobe products, Office programs, etc.,) will still get their own updates as they always have.

In almost all cases, it makes more financial sense to wait until you replace the Windows 7 computer with a new one, which will already have Windows 10.

However, this heavily-pimped scare tactic certainly makes more financial sense for Microsoft (who is a big buyer of ad space in the media outlets repeating it.)

[mysteryowl]

6. I am not talking about an upgrade.

This post is about updates.

[Disaffected]

8. If you have a registered Win 7,

you can still upgrade at no cost AFAIK (with the option of keeping your apps as well as files). I did the upgrade a couple weeks ago with no issues. It was pretty painless but took a few hours (with a slowish internet connection). Note, there is no need to download an ISO and burn a CD or equivalent - Win 10 is downloaded directly.

When I found out you can keep your apps (w/o having to reinstall everything) I decided to do it. About the only difference I notice is that it boots and shuts down faster than 7.

[Dennis Donovan]

12. You're probably getting application updates, not OS security updates

[Polybius]

5. I am trying to setup 3.1 on a 386 now

Gonna be a fun night!

[Mariana]

9. I have a piece of software that only runs in 3.1.

I installed 3.1 within a DOS emulator on my Windows 7 64bit machine. A few tweaks and tricks, and it works just fine.

[Polybius]

13. Isn't this fun?

I love the nostalgic feel.

[Nemorous]

7. Decade old

Last edited Sun Jan 19, 2020, 11:53 AM - Edit history (1)

I can't imagine Windows 7 is already a decade old. It is as old as my Jackson Wheelbarrow already, farewell.

[marble falls]

11. I liked it. It worked well for me.

[gopiscrap]

16. welcome to DU

[brooklynite]

10. Walk towards the light and buy a Macintosh.....

[hunter]

15. That ain't light and my wallet's not that heavy.

I'm posting this from a Linux desktop machine that was someone else's electronic waste. So was the monitor. My keyboard is old, really old, with a metal case and keys that have a satisfying click to them.

My favorite laptop is a Chromebook. It's cheap and it's rugged and I don't have to worry too much about it when I travel. The battery lasts a long time. I also have a laptop that boots Linux or Windows but I hate babysitting it. I don't use Windows unless someone is paying me. The only working Apple machine I have is a very old SE/30.



I also have a Raspberry Pi which is a good computer to learn Linux on if you are afraid of messing up a more expensive machine, or your current working machine.

Many versions of Linux run very well on Windows 7 machines, faster than Windows too.

The Raspberry Pi and Linux Mint communities are generally friendly and helpful.

Familiarity with Linux and other free open source software is an excellent life skill.

I used to be the guy in our extended family and among my friends who helped people with their computer problems. But now I'm sort of mean, and tell them to get Chromebooks. It's not like they use their computers for anything else but web browsing and social media.

Our local high schools switched to Chromebooks and every kid who doesn't have their own computer gets one. The teachers love them and the IT staff became human again.

Supposedly Apple has the same "ease of use" as a Chromebook but it's ten times more expensive, $100 for a low priced Chromebook vs. $1,000 for a low priced Apple laptop.

If I had a Windows 7 machine and no new computers in my budget I'd just keep using it.

The most important thing anyone using an old computer should know is how to back up all their personal files to an external hard drive or usb memory stick, and for those less concerned about their privacy, some sort of "cloud." For example, google offers up to 15gb of cloud storage free. I back up my computers in multiple ways, and have personal files going back to the 'seventies, in addition to all the old family photos and home movies I've scanned.

[TheBlackAdder]

14. A bunch of severe vulnerability patches with WIN10 & MSIE are out recently too. Better get them.