Windows updates

[Harold Dye]

I have two computers a desktop with Win XP and a laptop with Win 7. I much prefer the desktop but when Windows stopped support for XP I disconnected from the internet. Since I am technologically challenged I have some questions.

1. What do updates do? Are they to fix gliches in the system or are they to bring the software up to current conditions or are they to try to prevent attacks from outside sources. I know XP was about 10 yrs old so I would think they were to bring it to current standards.

2. Could XP still be used if a good (paid for) anti spyware program be used. I would think that since it is no longer supported it would be so out of date it would not work properly.

3. Could the computer still be used if another system were install such as Linux, whatever that is, or would it be best to install something like Win 7 if the mother board would allow it? I would like to keep the desktop but maybe the best thing is to trash it and get a new one sometime.

[Erv Niehaus]

I still have Win XP on my computer. I'm afraid I have some programs that wouldn't work on anything newer.

[Jack Stoner]

Win 7 will be phased out next November by Microsoft and they want to "force" the Windows 10 upgrade on Win 7 (and 8.1) users.

Many XP computers cannot be upgraded to a newer operating system as the hardware is not compatible. Many device drivers are not available so the hardware cannot be used. This is not the case with ALL XP systems but many.

You mention Linux, and that is a viable option.

I would not recommend you install some security program and try to use it on line. The security program will help but will not make the PC 100% secure. Other than possibly Linux, If you can use it off line that is the best option.

[Mitch Drumm]

I have two computers a desktop with Win XP and a laptop with Win 7. I much prefer the desktop but when Windows stopped support for XP I disconnected from the internet. Since I am technologically challenged I have some questions.

1. What do updates do? Are they to fix gliches in the system or are they to bring the software up to current conditions or are they to try to prevent attacks from outside sources. I know XP was about 10 yrs old so I would think they were to bring it to current standards.

2. Could XP still be used if a good (paid for) anti spyware program be used. I would think that since it is no longer supported it would be so out of date it would not work properly.

3. Could the computer still be used if another system were install such as Linux, whatever that is, or would it be best to install something like Win 7 if the mother board would allow it? I would like to keep the desktop but maybe the best thing is to trash it and get a new one sometime.

Updates can do any of several things: provide better security, fix known issues, provide newer (not necessarily better) drivers, etc. Many of them are not significant depending on your individual situation, but the typical advice is to accept most if not all of them when in doubt. It seems to me that the Update process has become more buggy and problematic in the last few years.

I wouldn't have any qualms about continuing to use XP on a PC not connected to the Internet if it suited my needs otherwise. At some point, newer software likely won't work with it, but if you have a fairly simple setup and don't do anything exotic, it should be OK. Most would tell you it's a bad mistake to use XP on a PC still connected to the Internet due to the lack of support from MS---but maybe you don't have anything you really care about on the XP machine or have good backups or don't do anything other than email on it. Maybe you have good browsing habits and are a relatively low-risk user?

Sure, you could put Linux on it instead. But, frankly, even though Linux is more user-friendly than it was 10 years ago, I'd suspect someone who is "technologically challenged" would still find Linux too frustrating--unless you are willing to ascend a pretty steep learning curve or have someone in your town who can guide you face to face. There are tutorials online, but............I don't know how you react to frustration.

Maybe you are willing to devote 2 hours a day to learning about and using Linux for say 2 or 3 months--say 100 or 200 hours. If you did that, you'd probably be over the hump. You could certainly install Linux and get a desktop to look very similar to Windows in less time than that, but you'd be very inefficient and slow to get things done without putting in seat time. You'd still have to learn to do the equivalent of what you do on Windows---choose the right Linux distribution, learn how to install it, find and install applications, update them, make files, locate files, navigate your way around, configure stuff to your liking, understand the file structure, getting sound going, getting video going, etc. You can use your keyboard and mouse like in Windows, make the desktop look much like Windows, and get a browser going pretty easily. But once you get beyond that.....it's a different world.

You can still buy new machines with Windows 7 or 8.1 if you know where to look. Windows 7 will be supported until January 2020.

Whether you should put 7 on the existing desktop or buy a new desktop with 7 depends on the age and state of the existing desktop and what tasks you have in mind for it. For basic stuff like web browsing and email, an old machine may be perfectly fine if it still functions OK, but if it breaks down it's tough to recommend that you fix it rather than replace it.

If it's 5 years old, it may not be worth $100. If it's 10 years old, it may not even be suitable for Windows 7. Hard to say without more info.