Interesting Links for 19-08-2013

[andrewducker]

• Microsoft warns Windows XP users risk 'zero day forever'
  (tags: windows microsoft )
• I shouldn't be amused at parents lying to their children. And yet...
  (tags: parents lying funny children )
• Things people believed when they were children
  (tags: belief viaSKington children )
• That time Ian McKellen took the LOTR cast to a gay bar.
  (tags: lotr lgbt )

Comments

[gonzo21]

Should I be at all concerned about this end of support for XP thing?

I don't really know enough about it, just that my PC is quite elderly now, and I doubt it could run a more modern OS effectively without needing upgraded. And I don't particularly want the hassle of having to upgrade both my OS and my hardware at the same time, when it currently does everything I want of it.

[andrewducker]

When XP runs out of support they'll no longer be providing security patches for it. Which means that, if it's attached to the internet without something between it and thousands of marauding botnets, it's going to be wide open to infection/remote control.

If you're behind a router, using a fully patched version of Chrome/Firefox then your attack surface will be relatively small, and you might be ok. Until Chrome/Firefox drop XP support too.

If you're using Internet Explorer, and directly connected to the net, then you've got a big target on your forehead.

[minnesattva]

My parents won't even understand why this is a problem, much less do anything about it. And nothing short of getting to the point where they think they need a new computer will get them to change OSes. I have got them weaned off IE and Outlook at least, but that's all I think I can manage.

[kerrypolka]

Ooh, what's wrong with Outlook please? I've been looking around for a Not Gmail and it looked the (very qualified) best of an iffy lot to me...

[gonzo21]

Well, I do use Firefox, and am behind a router. And run Avast and Spybot S&D all the time. And I have firefox set up with the java script blocker on by default.

Meh. Insert standard rant about microsoft here. I'm not upgrading my damned PC just to be able to run a newer OS and spending hundreds of pounds to continue doing what I can already do fine just because Windows 8 is falling flat on its face and M$ are getting desperate.

[andrewducker]

I don't blame MS for this at all - end of support for XP has been coming for ages. They've supported this version of Windows for 13 years, and there's a limit on how long they can reasonably do so for.

[gonzo21]

So if I had to upgrade, which version of windows is most tolerant of older hardware? And indeed most compatible with older software?

[andrewducker]

Windows 7 is your best bet. It's solid, smooth, and I rarely bumped into issues with it.

How much RAM does your PC have?

[gonzo21]

2 gig.

Intel Core 2 4400@ 2ghz processor.

And an ATI X1300 pro video card with 256 MB of memory. But I don't think that's relevant. Unless it's so old it doesn't have Win7 support.

[andrewducker]

Pop here:
http://www.crucial.com/uk/systemscanner/
and see what it would cost you to make that 4GB. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Other than that, I suspect you'll be just fine with Windows 7. (And you can run Win7 with 2GB. It's just less fun.)

[theweaselking]

Windows 7, so far.

Windows 8 actually looks promising - it's got even lower requirements than 7. However, I find it incredibly annoying if you aren't using a touchpad or touchscreen. For just plain keyboard+mouse, AGH.

However, depending on the older software you need, I would suggest considering Ubuntu Linux. Still lower requirements, free, as hassle-free as Linux ever gets (which is to say, way more hassles than Windows, but, again, free), and works almost kind of somewhat like a modern desktop OS. And it has a billion free software things that are a couple of clicks away in the package manager, which is nice.

And if you're installing a new OS *anyway*, you don't lose much by trying out a different one?

[ggreig]

It's also worth being aware (with older kit) that Windows 8 will refuse to install if certain processor features aren't present. Here's how to check.

[theweaselking]

I hadn't even thought of that!

Yes, that's important.

Also, the cost of a Win7 Upgrade is about $200.

For $200, you can get a netbook with Win7 and likely similar power to your existing (assuming 2008-ish) desktop.

For $400, you can get a touchscreen laptop with Win8 with more power than your 2008 Desktop.

For $500, you can get a desktop computer with Win7 that will blow your 2008 desktop out of the water completely.

And if your desktop is older than 2008, spending $200 on it to upgrade it to Win7 is probably a waste of money.

[ggreig]

I got caught on that processor issue with an old laptop that had been perfectly happy running Windows 7; makes it easier to remember! (Install rolled back successfully and I got a refund, but could have done without the hassle and embarassment.)

[chess]

Yes, you should. If you keep a Windows XP machine connected to the internet after the end of support, your PC will very likely be swiftly enlisted into a botnet and used in various criminal activities. Consider switching to some kind of Linux variety if you can't run Windows 7.

[gonzo21]

So having avast and Spybot S&D running all the time won't necessarily protect me if the OS itself is the problem?