April 8 2014 Please stay cool, calm, and collected :-)

A

Andy

I am interested in well thought out feedback on the upcoming end of XP support.

I have a dual boot system using Windows and Linux, so I have a fair amount of experience with both Operating Systems.

I will try to be honest and present the pros and cons.

Some things I have thought about in regards to different operating systems.

1. How many companies support their products for 12+ years at no additional cost?

2. Many Linux users use Windows to install their Operating Systems to USB drives.
For some reason, they have no program to install isos other than their own to pen drives. :) When I asked about it in their forums, I got no response.

I do understand than Linux is free. I think it is very good Operating System.

3. Linux has 300+ distros. If Windows had that many, it would be worrisome. :)

Andy
 
S

Stef

Andy said:
I am interested in well thought out feedback on the upcoming end of XP
support.

Nothing to think about. Support for XP will end worldwide on 8 April,
except for China. Just read their XP support will continue "...for an
"indefinite period."

http://news.yahoo.com/xpocalypse-not-microsoft-may-support-204325466.html

Doesn't mean that XP stops working. And isn't anymore less secure than
it was on the 7th of April. And as far as malware writers, I think
they'll move on to 8/8.1. It's new with no security patches. So, easier
to hack/infect. And that means "Mo Money! Mo Money! Mo Money!" ;-)
I have a dual boot system using Windows and Linux, so I have a fair amount
of experience with both Operating Systems.

I've switched to virtualizing instead of multibooting. More convenient.
I will try to be honest and present the pros and cons.

Some things I have thought about in regards to different operating systems.

1. How many companies support their products for 12+ years at no
additional cost?

For free? Microsoft did with XP updates. And the free virus/malware
software producers. Have no idea how long that will last, but when you
consider that almost 30% of the world's PC are still running XP (I
think it's higher -- like 50+% -- if you included foreign pirated
installs), I would say that support will continue for a long time. Any
infected computer whether it's running XP or something else is a
danger to everyone.

For other software "updates/upgrades" there was always a charge whether
it was from MS or not. Although, I think the new "leasing" model will
mostly replace the outright software purchase/upgrade model, except for
the small company utilities and software. They'll continue to sell it.

I think new software releases, particularly production software, will
drop XP as a supported OS fairly quickly. How many times do you see
W2000 listed on the box these days? And it's only 2 years older than
XP.
2. Many Linux users use Windows to install their Operating Systems to USB
drives.
For some reason, they have no program to install isos other than their
own to pen drives. :) When I asked about it in their forums, I
got no response.

Not true. UNetbootin is one. And dd works just fine with ISOs to
flash drives.
I do understand than Linux is free. I think it is very good Operating System.

I like it, too. When the Amiga died, I chose Linux as its replacement
instead of Windows.
3. Linux has 300+ distros. If Windows had that many, it would be worrisome.

Not really. If 300+ different companies were producing 300+ Windows
variants, there would be a version to suit most any requirement
instead of just the one one-size-fits-all choice we currently have.

Stef
 
T

Todd

Not really. If 300+ different companies were producing 300+ Windows
variants, there would be a version to suit most any requirement
instead of just the one one-size-fits-all choice we currently have.

Stef

Same kernel. Different supporting software. It is
all about choice.
 
B

BillW50

In Stef typed:
Not really. If 300+ different companies were producing 300+ Windows
variants, there would be a version to suit most any requirement
instead of just the one one-size-fits-all choice we currently have.

Nope, Windows would have been a huge failure with 300+ variants of
Windows. And it has been successful because of one size fits all.
 

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