Support for Windows XP is ending soon

I received an update for my Mac Mini for a new operating system....for FREE! I'm sure it's not an upgrade with all of the bells and whistles but perhaps Apple was discontinuing support for the operating system I received the upgrade for.

I am a bit put off that Microsoft doesn't offer some type of upgrade for others, unlike me, who are just able to own a pc and will never be able to afford an upgrade or new pc with an up to date OS. I think Windows as well as my Apple system have amazing innovations but this move seems a bit tyrannical to leave those who have at least once patronized your product totally exposed! IJS

--Regarding Windows XP discontinued support--

Something else you may want to consider for added protection is OpenDNS.

Hi Ludawg94,

     I like your comments, because as you say is what WE are used to having a program like Windows XP stable, and it works. I can mention all the flaws in both versions of Windows  XP and 7, but that is for another discussion, and Microsoft won't hear of it! It is what XP can do for me, and what it cannot, Then I use 7 to help me.  I have all the installer programs I need when either version crashes, or if I get hacked. It wont matter to me. I just reboot a clean version of Windows, who cares? I can do more with Windows XP because MY version is the combination of all the previous versions and some parts of Vista. I know what I have and it already has lasted longer than four previous e Machines PCs and it is usually the hardware that breaks down first. If I had my way, you all could learn what XP can or cannot do, and IT is a bit late to make a poll and send it in to Microsoft, and they should take heed that we XP users know a good thing when WE see it. It is not rewiting the code, because it leaves the chance of too many flaws and missing features. And truely it wont affect me a bit. I do have an OEM version of Windows 7 and Windows XP Pro so, I am good to go! To me, it good riddance to bad updates that really screws me up... I am a programmer myself, not a USER not knowing what is a Terabit is. (slang), I believe that as long as you or I do not surf the net in shark infected waters, We can come away without being hacked... as I have three times. And bounce back in less than three days with all the bells and Whistles I want Windows XP to do. Do you know what really fries me? It is Microsoft's attitude is that Money first over a poor program! It has been reported that 8 is worse than 7.  They are two different ball games. I just bought me a new refurbished PC with Windows XP Pro, and it came with its Boot CD and the CD key is on the case. and most people do not know how to maintain their PC and trade up when something goes wrong with it. There are websites that still sell USED PCs with Wndows XP, because there is a market for them because of the hardware only works with Windows XP and also their propitiary software. I am not just going to toss out my expensive hardware because Mircosoft wants to make money as to stay in business. My issue will be easier withoutthe disruptive updates! It is my HA-HA to them! Besides, I rebuild my PCs as to fit my needs and not to take something off the shelf without fully examining with a very fine tooth comb. IN essence, the PC is just an empty box to me if it has only one HDD and a useless DVD optical drive as so many companies are selling, and they do not care to sell anything better. It is up to the user as to what hardware and software that is inside the case. Even in most cases you might want an additional HDD, you pay double for it to have it put in rather do it yourself and put it in. The labor is the real cost. It is NOT just 'Good Luc k' just to keep your PC running smoothly like clockwork, you have to take the time to fix it and repair it when a HDD fails to be recognized, as because Windows did not start up proprly or Windows Explorer stops in a long proceedure, as so many times it does. It is a joke to most users to find out why and how to recover from a blank desktop, etc. The PC is a very expensive tool that can cost as much as a car can, in my therory, should last a very long time if we all know how to take care of it.

    I repeat myself here: "A PC is like a golf club. in the hands of an amatuer, it is worthless, but in the hands of a pro, it does wonders!" And with Windows XP, IT gets me there, I cannot do it with Vista, 7. or 8! It is not sharing your media, or reading email, there is a lot more to it than that. It is the "Window Dressing" as How I look at things besides blank manila folders because it forces me to read the plain text beneath them when a picture is worth a thousand words?!!!

From Edmond, The Hardware and Software engineer

Well I am good to go! Downloaded a firewall, got a different anti virus, using a malware bot cleaner, using the firewall on the router, not using Internet explorer for my web browser, only go to trusted websites not to any odd ball ones, use online email clients that already check for virus etc, limited use of flash and java to not automatically run, and doubt the world will run amok with the sky falling after April 8th 2014! For those of you who say that what I am doing is all retroactive on regards to the anti virus/  mal ware stuff, well the patches are retroactive in nature too, Something had to happen first before the exploits got patched up.

All I see here for the most part are people just bashing the ones who want to keep using XP with no actual help. Microsoft is a company with share holders to feed so yes they would like to cut what is not making them any revenue but unfortunately they have not done a good job on new products that people actually care about getting. I saw a statement else where that someone made a good point which was that at some point in time users went from being Microsoft customers to just being Windows XP customers. I can say that I am one of those people. XP is stable and reliable. Widnows 7 is a close one but unfortunately there's no retail version out there anymore, just OEM which means I'll get screwed if I change anything on my current machine (ie hdd, disk drive, etc) and hard to know what drivers will work on 7 if I do the install. As for Windows 8, well my gf needed a new lap top so I recommended her getting a new one with Win 8. Immediately within the first week after doing her updates and getting 8.1 (first one) she had to do a clean install right away becuase there was issues with the os and some other software heck HP recommended not to do the update. That right there just showed me how little Microsoft has changed in making sure it's os runs smoothly.

Also it doesn't help that Windows 8 has a schizophrenic personality, where it does not know if it wants to be a regular computer or a tablet/phone touch screen device. Heck if Microsoft offered a subscription based model for XP users to receive support I'd be paying that annually or event monthly! Are they doing that? No! I'm not one who hates change becuase I do have Office 2010 on my machine. I am giving Windows Phone 8 a chance as well which if the lumia 521 gets the new update, then they are going in a somewhat correct path. It shouldn't have taken them this long to make the changes that will happen in Windows Phone 8.1 but that in itself is a whole different topic.

I do foresee Microsoft losing the people who use XP to either Google or Apple. I have spoken to people who have XP but have Android tablets and iPads. Their ideas of upgrading are to Macs or just using their tablets. Microsoft did the right move with finally have office on those devices but they have failed to provide any good new alternative reliable OS that people will trust in.

As for me, I will keep using XP for another 2-3 years until third party software stop providing the updates. That's when I'll move on but who knows to what. If money situation is right within the next few month then I will consider a new machine but I'll definitely make sure that it comes with Win 7 pre installed just as how I made sure to have had XP instead of Vista.

You reply to Shadow but address the post to me. So who are you really replying to? Nobody knows.

But if you want to reply to me you can save yourself time and effort. I can tell you that your posts are of no interest to me. Where the content is accurate it only tells me stuff I already know, so all it does for me (most times) is leave a retinal image for minutes afterwards. If you want to post for someone else's "benefit" that's fine but please reply to them not me, or reply to the originator of the thread and avoid starting out the post by addressing my handle.