Windows 7 support is ending January 2020 - What are you going to do?

[BATTLEMASTER]

I'm thinking about switching to Linux Mint, but I want to make sure that I can get something like Autodesk Fusion 360 to run on it.  What's everyone else going to do?

[guardiandashi]

I'm thinking about switching to Linux Mint, but I want to make sure that I can get something like Autodesk Fusion 360 to run on it.  What's everyone else going to do?

I pretty much already upgraded to win 10 as part of my pc upgrade.

my old computer was running win 7 on a intel i7 960 with 18gb ram, my new computer is running on an intel i7 8700 with 32gb ram

[MadCapellan]

Not sure. Strongly considering Ubuntu. I'm just sick of Microsoft.

[Weirdo]

Whatever requires the least initial effort.

[Sartris]

my mom was still using XP (with equally outdated virus protection) until she got a macbook last year

i still have no idea how her identity didn't get stolen


i'm too lazy to do linux so i migrated to win 10 during the initial release

[rebs]

I'm running Win 10 because that was what was installed on my newest 'puter.

[Frabby]

I'll be using Win7 a couple months beyond the support deadline and will be pulling my hair out in despair. There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

I like Win7. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it seemed like a very stable and user-friendly member of the Windows family. I've dipped my toe into Win10 waters and found it difficult to work with. Maybe I just hate the changes over Win7.

However, truth be told, I presume I'll end up with Win10 because it's the least effort. Frankly, I don't care enough to put work into getting a Linux system to work for me.

[Colt Ward]

The 5 year support is a load of BS . . . planned obsolescence . . . but I guess they got tired of people using older software for a decade or more- I do not remember how long I used '98 and XP.  I despise Micro$haft but I do not want to mess with a bunch of stuff so I have Weirdo's attitude, though I am not a fan of Win10 at all.  I am an old curmudgeon, I want to go to the same fricking places to find the applications and programs that are part of the OS suite.  Quite moving them about so you can claim improved functionality!

I should probably stop now . . .

[pheonixstorm]

Stay with 7 or upgrade to 10. I find I like win 10 as much as I don't care for MS. Still may make this computer into a dual boot win10/ubuntu machine. Should probably get a dedicated HD though so I don't have to partition this drive for both.

Just because support ends doesn't mean you need to stop using it. Just make sure you have a good AV and antimalware utility and don't use Internet Exploder. Most software should continue supporting Win7 (and perhaps XP) for another 5-10 years. At least for normal non-gaming software.

[dgorsman]

Now running Win 10.  Learning one of the Linux flavors would be interesting but very low on my list of priorities.  Plus most of the software I use is Win only, and some Win 10 only.

Win 10 isn't *that* much different or frustrating.  Maybe because I'm running the Pro rather than the Home version?

[Matti]

I just tried Windows Update (with Win7) and I get an error message which in English (translating from Finnish) goes something like this:

Windows Update cannot at this moment check availability of updates, because service is not running. You may need to restart the computer.

I've had that for last couple of years or so. Update history gives me a white window with an OK button. I recall having same (or remarkably similar) experiences with my laptop. So as far as I am concerned, Win7 support has ended well over a year ago. Win8 on my tablet still finds and receives updates.

The 5 year support is a load of BS . . . planned obsolescence . . . but I guess they got tired of people using older software for a decade or more-

Android is worse: less than 5 year support for the hardware, and after that, no new Android version anymore for it. Not too long ago I had read from a computer magazine that newest OS update for Macintosh breaks compatibility with many 32-bit programs. What comes to Linux, most of the newest distributions require gigabytes worth of RAM and the low end recommends 1 GB of it. Old Linux & distributions may be insufficient to run the newest software. There is MS-DOS compatible OS with continued support, but it might not get that much of new software anymore.

So whatever OS you choose to go with, you'll have some problems. Eventually.

[MadCapellan]

Win 10 isn't *that* much different or frustrating.  Maybe because I'm running the Pro rather than the Home version?

For me it's simply a matter of not trusting Microsoft as a partner anymore. The hard push towards software as service has left me with a very sour taste in my mouth. I'm deeply concerned that Microsoft will decide I need to pay a monthly subscription for the use of my own PC, & the poor privacy controls at launch did nothing to encourage comfort. Most of the changes to the UI of Windows 10 are irritating, but not deal-breaking, but I find myself asking what is any of this doing for me? Between myself & Microsoft, MS appears to be the only side gaining by me moving to 10.

[worktroll]

I must be going against the flow - I find a lot of the little features in Win10 - in how apps work & handle, shortcuts & task bars, etc - hit the sweet spot for me. I did lose some access to the under layers of the OS, but not needing them as much as with Win7.

Writing this on Win10 - but I did buy a (discounted) Office package, rather than Office365. SaaS does not appeal for home systems. Yes, I could have used one of the free office clones, but the shortcuts/keystrokes are different, and I'm using Office for the vast majority of my professional work.

[garhkal]

The 5 year support is a load of BS . . . planned obsolescence . . . but I guess they got tired of people using older software for a decade or more- I do not remember how long I used '98 and XP.  I despise Micro$haft but I do not want to mess with a bunch of stuff so I have Weirdo's attitude, though I am not a fan of Win10 at all.  I am an old curmudgeon, I want to go to the same fricking places to find the applications and programs that are part of the OS suite.  Quite moving them about so you can claim improved functionality!

I should probably stop now . . .

YOu sound like me.  I upgraded to xp, after they ceased supporting win 95..  And upped to 8.1 after they ceased supporting XP..  HAD they kept supporting it, i'd have stayed ON xp.

For me it's simply a matter of not trusting Microsoft as a partner anymore. The hard push towards software as service has left me with a very sour taste in my mouth. I'm deeply concerned that Microsoft will decide I need to pay a monthly subscription for the use of my own PC, & the poor privacy controls at launch did nothing to encourage comfort. Most of the changes to the UI of Windows 10 are irritating, but not deal-breaking, but I find myself asking what is any of this doing for me? Between myself & Microsoft, MS appears to be the only side gaining by me moving to 10.

I've heard of that before, someone thinking Microshaft, will go to a 'pay to use' service for OS, like they did with microshaft's office 360.

[Maingunnery]

For me it's simply a matter of not trusting Microsoft as a partner anymore. The hard push towards software as service has left me with a very sour taste in my mouth. I'm deeply concerned that Microsoft will decide I need to pay a monthly subscription for the use of my own PC, & the poor privacy controls at launch did nothing to encourage comfort. Most of the changes to the UI of Windows 10 are irritating, but not deal-breaking, but I find myself asking what is any of this doing for me? Between myself & Microsoft, MS appears to be the only side gaining by me moving to 10.

I feel the same way, I will likely be buying a new PC/laptop in 2020, but I am severely doubting if I should go win10.

[jimdigris]

When I replaced my old computer, it came with Windows 10, and I will stick with it until Microsoft bans Windows 10 like the other versions.  When that time comes, I'm defecting to Mac.  My cousin is an expert with them and can help me with everything.  I made the decision after the latest big update, which screwed with my ability to print.  Every time they ask me to restart my computer for an update, I feel a sense of terror and I am not going to put up with that longer than I need to.

[pheonixstorm]

I just tried Windows Update (with Win7) and I get an error message which in English (translating from Finnish) goes something like this:I've had that for last couple of years or so. Update history gives me a white window with an OK button. I recall having same (or remarkably similar) experiences with my laptop. So as far as I am concerned, Win7 support has ended well over a year ago. Win8 on my tablet still finds and receives updates.

That sounds like an issue with one of the required services for the update system is turned off.

[Mendou]

I've been running Win10 Pro for four or five years now--and have been maintaining it at every branch of my library for about the same amount of time (as I am the IT Department, as well as whatever else I need to do--amazing what you end up doing when you're the only one on staff not afraid of computers. . . .)

I miss Win7, which was a much better OS, but I've learned to live with (and, where possible, turn off) every little eccentricity of Win10.

[Daryk]

Honestly, the most stable version of Windows I ever used was NT.

[guardiandashi]

my dad in most cases hates win 8+ the fix that got him to be content with win 10 is the classic shell addon, which makes the start menu behave more like win 7 (and put the free games back in)

[Daryk]

I manually reinstall the games I like after every dang full patch.  Killing Cortana is a pain too...

[Firesprocket]

I am probably going to be on Windows 7 for a bit as I need a computer, but can't necessarily afford by January because some keeps breaking in my house.

Writing this on Win10 - but I did buy a (discounted) Office package, rather than Office365. SaaS does not appeal for home systems.

What exactly did you pick up?  I was under the impression Office365 was all they were going to support after January and I'm not really looking forward to buying an Office subscription.

Honestly, the most stable version of Windows I ever used was NT.

NT and XP were both reliable O/S.  If NT had an issue though I found it a pain to fix.  For me that was likely because of the functional differences between NT vs. 95/98 in where certain things were found.  I have no love for MS, less for Mac, and sadly don't have the time to learn Linux.

[PsihoKekec]

I will stay with Win 7 for some time, it's not like computer will just stop working.

[Colt Ward]

What exactly did you pick up?  I was under the impression Office365 was all they were going to support after January and I'm not really looking forward to buying an Office subscription.

Heck, I used Office97(?)  All the way up until they broke the Windows program where it would not run the old version of Outlook . . . I STILL use Word from that suite, just wish I could get Outlook to run.  I am not doing the subscription.

[kato]

Honestly, the most stable version of Windows I ever used was NT.

Considering NT 3 made it to version 3.51 Service Pack 5 it wasn't really all that persistent either.

[Lorcan Nagle]

Killing Cortana is a pain too...

Don't worry, Microsoft have just announced they're gonna do that for you.

[Notsonoble]

Haven't run windows on bare metal since 2008 if I had a choice, (some work pcs I don't get to choose). So meh...
The win10 laptop from work isn't bad, but there's a reason I get stuff done faster on linux.

[Orin J.]

ignore that it's not supported and stick with what i'm using now. i've got a laptop that came with win10 and it's given me fits every time it has a problem. can't even entirely turn it off because it keeps itself in standby mode even after i've don't everything in my power to just power it down for some reason.

besides, given their recent track record what's their support worth anymore? they don't fix a problem until it's actively biting them in the rear and knowing how many governments probably haven't finished migrating from old, OLD systems they'll still roll THOSE patches out to avoid shame.

[ClarkeMarek]

Going against the flow here. 

Already handled.  I have Win10 on my one desktop that had Win7.  My one Win8 laptop got bumped to 8.1, then 10.  My one Laptop with Win7 has Linux Mint on it.  Actually, it went through several distros(I know, test on a stick, but I was actually hoping to go with Ubuntu MATE full time, long story) before going back to Mint.  Which reminds me, I need to fix the monitor problem.

Oh, and my barebones which might've had Win7 on it has Mint. :)

[garhkal]

I feel the same way, I will likely be buying a new PC/laptop in 2020, but I am severely doubting if I should go win10.

That's one of the suckiest things about buying new laptops these days, you really only get two choices..  Apple OS or microshaft OS..  I've never seen a store offer one with Linux or the like..