Forget the XPocalypse: Sticking with Windows XP can be a smart move

[A Guy]

Tomorrow Microsoft ends support for Windows XP, and if you believe the company and others, XP holdouts are head-in-the-sand technophobes heading for disaster. In fact, though, sticking with XP can be a smart move.

When Microsoft ends support for XP, it will no longer issue security updates for the operating system. XP users will be on their own, and be potentially vulnerable to a variety of dangers, particularly zero-day threats.

But die-hard owners of XP machines don't seem particularly concerned. Many of them might not know they're about to be vulnerable. But as PC World's Ian Paul reports, many of them are tech-savvy users who know the potential hazards, and believe they have good reasons not to switch.

Source

A Guy

 

[user31]

It's a use at your own discretion kind of thing.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I just lost all respect for the author of that article. What a load of male bovine scat!

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
"....You can lead a horse to Water .. but you Can't make it drink..".

Actually there are loads of reasons in certain circumstances why sticking with XP isn't always a bad idea -- but you have to understand what you are doing.

Most of the Security bozos -- already being threatened with diminishing returns on the newer Ms OS'es (W8 / 8.1 has a very capable built in security system -- certainly more than adequate for TYPICAL home PC's -- not talking about Corporate / Enterprise protection) see this as a last ditch effort to sell some more security packages. or justify their jobs by suggesting people upgrade and hence buy new security software.

XP run as a stand alone system is perfectly fine -- probably still runs more Scientific / Lab equipment and other industrial / medical / University/ Research apps than most people have ever heard of.

I recently had a CT scan in an Icelandic hospital recently -- had a little accident (Fell of a horse !!! - my fault - don't ride horses after drinking a load of Beers) and the muscles didn't seem to be healing as fast as I would have liked -- the CT scan was attached to XP software -- and this hospital probably would put some of the most modern hospitals on the planet to shame.

I'm OK now - but it was a bit tough driving a 4WD using basically ONE hand !!! -would have been arrested in UK if i'd attempted that !!

Scaremongering seems to be the name of the game here -- XP works fine for dedicated applications -- and if it is still fit for purpose why not keep it until hardware no longer works or needs updating.

BTW these CT scanners are around 5 MILLION Euros a pop so changing the infrastructure around them isn't a trivial matter.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hi there
"....You can lead a horse to Water .. but you Can't make it drink..".

Actually there are loads of reasons in certain circumstances why sticking with XP isn't always a bad idea -- but you have to understand what you are doing.

Most of the Security bozos -- already being threatened with diminishing returns on the newer Ms OS'es (W8 / 8.1 has a very capable built in security system -- certainly more than adequate for TYPICAL home PC's -- not talking about Corporate / Enterprise protection) see this as a last ditch effort to sell some more security packages. or justify their jobs by suggesting people upgrade and hence buy new security software.

XP run as a stand alone system is perfectly fine -- probably still runs more Scientific / Lab equipment and other industrial / medical / University/ Research apps than most people have ever heard of.

I recently had a CT scan in an Icelandic hospital recently -- had a little accident (Fell of a horse !!! - my fault - don't ride horses after drinking a load of Beers) and the muscles didn't seem to be healing as fast as I would have liked -- the CT scan was attached to XP software -- and this hospital probably would put some of the most modern hospitals on the planet to shame.

I'm OK now - but it was a bit tough driving a 4WD using basically ONE hand !!! -would have been arrested in UK if i'd attempted that !!

Scaremongering seems to be the name of the game here -- XP works fine for dedicated applications -- and if it is still fit for purpose why not keep it until hardware no longer works or needs updating.

BTW these CT scanners are around 5 MILLION Euros a pop so changing the infrastructure around them isn't a trivial matter.

Cheers
jimbo

I agree the isolated machines you are referring to are not the issue here. The issue is people using XP machines on the internet.

I'm glad you are doing better. How's the horse?

 

[Layback Bear]

Their can always be found a good use in certain cases that XP is useful.
I also don't believe that is what all this XP thing is all about.
Some very big corporations have tool and die equipment using XP for all the setup and checks. These pieces of equipment never do anything other than that and never will.
The talk of getting rid of XP is all about the use of some kind of online method of doing work. Whether it is mom and pop going on line or a check out counter credit card reader.
These types of things access the internet, domain, or network and are not as safe as they should be.
I would say that 99% of the users of XP should upgrade to Windows 7.

You can always find someone who can hunt bear with a pointed stick but 99% of us need more for bear hunting.