Windows 7 End of Support

Hey Man said:

Greetings,

I am not very knowledgeable about Microsoft as a company and the reasons why they do the things they do, but from a business perspective - I would appreciate if someone here can explain something to me beyond Microsoft being the devil.

So clearly Microsoft is aware like millions of computer users that Windows XP and Windows 7 have been incredibly popular to the point where they know users didn't want to give them up for what Windows released next in Vista, 8 and 10. Basically the attitude for XP and 7 has been "from my cold dead hands" in terms of giving up those operating systems for the junk that Windows replaced them with.

Now since Microsoft have this knowledge, as a business wanting to be able to compete with Apple among others and keep their customers happy - why are they not giving people a modern version of XP and 7. Basically all the things you loved about XP and 7, but with 2019 technology features. It seems like a no-brainer. Give the customer want they want and watch all the praise you will get and money. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It just doesn't make sense from a business perspective to say OK, people obviously love what we did with XP and 7, so let's totally screw people over with 10 and give them something that they are going to hate. It would be like any other business taking their most popular product and changing it for no reason or a restaurant taking their most popular dish and changing it to something that makes it not the same. It's moronic.

Post Cereal learned this the hard way, when they changed Honey Comb cereal to a new version. People hated it and like New Coke, Post Cereal returned almost immediately to the classic Honey Comb cereal.

So can someone explain from a business perspective - why Microsoft isn't having board meetings saying let's just give people a 2020 version of Windows 7. It is what people want and they will buy the hell out of it if it determined by reviews that it really is a modern version of 7 in every way.

Thanks!

I think it's completely moronic too, and I spent years defending them and raving about Windows 7. It's been so disappointing to see them throw away all of the goodwill they built up while becoming just another evil corporation. I hope what they've been doing eventually backfires on them big time!

My explanation for it, in addition to the evil part? Extreme arrogance - ignoring their customers' wishes, thinking they know better and believing that, because of Microsoft's high percentage of the market share, they can do whatever they want without considering their customers' needs and wants... and/or a predatory attitude thinking that they can just manipulate their customers away from what they like and need in an operating system to what will presumably make them more money in the long run (adopting Apple's model), because most people will not be tech savvy enough (or have the will) to learn a whole new alternative operating system.

I am happy to familiarize myself with Linux, and from what I've seen so far... it's much better than Windows 10 in almost every conceivable way. Bye bye Microsoft!

townsbg said:

To me it's not just about 10 and not trusting it, I think that they have something devious up their sleeve and I no longer trust them. Time will tell what they do with 10.

I agree. I don't trust them either, anymore.

blue skies said:

I think it's completely moronic too, and I spent years defending them and raving about Windows 7. It's been so disappointing to see them throw away all of the goodwill they built up while becoming just another evil corporation. I hope what they've been doing eventually backfires on them big time!

My explanation for it, in addition to the evil part? Extreme arrogance - ignoring their customers' wishes, thinking they know better and believing that, because of Microsoft's high percentage of the market share, they can do whatever they want without considering their customers' needs and wants... and/or a predatory attitude thinking that they can just manipulate their customers away from what they like and need in an operating system to what will presumably make them more money in the long run (adopting Apple's model), because most people will not be tech savvy enough (or have the will) to learn a whole new alternative operating system.

I am happy to familiarize myself with Linux, and from what I've seen so far... it's much better than Windows 10 in almost every conceivable way. Bye bye Microsoft!

Considering the backlash they had over Vista, 8 to a degree and now 10 in addition to the fact that clearly XP and 7 were the most popular operating systems for them, it just seems idiotic not to update Windows 7 for today. It's literally a license for them to print money and will bring back customers who have bailed Microsoft because of the garbage they are releasing.

Whatever their reasons are - it's just bad business on their part as a company and I don't even mean from a customer perspective. They had their version of Coke Classic in computer terms and they just tossed the recipe so to speak in the garbage.

I certainly concur with all the sentiments expressed in this topic thus far. I plan to continue using Windows 7 past the January 2020 EOL date. Unfortunately, at my age, (and health), trying to figure out how to use a problematic, new OS like Win 10 is not a viable option for me.

M$ likes to rush things to market, as they did with Windows 10, obviously thinking that by offering it FREE initially...everyone would just jump on board. Not to forget also how M$ has tried repeatedly to shove Win 10 onto folks computers via their sneaky Windows Updates.

They could learn a thing or two from Apple...as they tend to take a bit longer before releasing a new product to market. Putting more effort into ensuring their products are as free from problems as possible.

From what I have observed since its release, Win 10 has been fraught with a host of issues right from the start, and M$ has not always been so forthcoming in responding to issues reported by end users with a timely fix.

IMHO, Microsoft has become just another greedy, money-hungry big business that has developed the same mindset a number of Wall Street firms made, not-so-long ago - i.e., thinking itself too big to fail. Unfortunately, I doubt little will ever change with this scenario, barring a massive consumer backlash that hits them significantly in their bank accounts.

Hey Man said:

Considering the backlash they had over Vista, 8 to a degree and now 10 in addition to the fact that clearly XP and 7 were the most popular operating systems for them, it just seems idiotic not to update Windows 7 for today. It's literally a license for them to print money and will bring back customers who have bailed Microsoft because of the garbage they are releasing.

Whatever their reasons are - it's just bad business on their part as a company and I don't even mean from a customer perspective. They had their version of Coke Classic in computer terms and they just tossed the recipe so to speak in the garbage.

Very true, and that is an excellent analogy.

spc3rd said:

...IMHO, Microsoft has become just another greedy, money-hungry big business that has developed the same mindset a number of Wall Street firms made, not-so-long ago - i.e., thinking itself too big to fail. Unfortunately, I doubt little will ever change with this scenario, barring a massive consumer backlash that hits them significantly in their bank accounts.

I agree and it seems like there are a lot of unhappy customers planning to bail on Microsoft by the end of this year. I guess the question is whether or not it will be enough to significantly hurt their bank accounts. I hope so!

Are there any programs that can make Windows 10 more like Windows 7 or at best can you just install a Windows 7 skin that makes 10 look like 7, so at least you can avoid the look of the 10 desktop and use the desktop like you would with 7?