MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

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CountryBoy
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MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by CountryBoy »

MS Windows 7 Dead?
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2471126,00.asp

How many more years for support?
nordlead
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by nordlead »

http://support2.microsoft.com/lifecycle ... 0&c2=14019

Jan 2015 for normal support, Jan 2020 for extended support. Extended support is essentially security patches. But if you pay for support during the extended period you can get more help if needed (not worth it for consumers, but is for businesses).

EDIT: I'm convinced this guy doesn't really know how to use a PC or setup a network. He is a writer who happens to write about computers, but that doesn't mean he knows how to use them properly.
Last edited by nordlead on Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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nedsaid
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by nedsaid »

I don't understand the negative tone of the article. My computer geek guys who build my computers recommended Windows 7 and to skip Windows 8. Windows 7 is very stable and reliable and basically a good update to Windows XP. I was a big fan of Windows XP.

I want an operating system that is very stable and doesn't crash. I am not enamored with the bells and whistles which pretty much slow the machine down and hog resources. Windows 7 is great. Plus I hate having to hunt where everything is located. That is why not having a start button in the early version of Windows 8 did not go over well.

My understanding is that Microsoft will support Windows 7 for about another 5 years or so.
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rustymutt
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by rustymutt »

nordlead wrote:http://support2.microsoft.com/lifecycle ... 0&c2=14019

Jan 2015 for normal support, Jan 2020 for extended support. Extended support is essentially security patches. But if you pay for support during the extended period you can get more help if needed (not worth it for consumers, but is for businesses).

EDIT: I'm convinced this guy doesn't really know how to use a PC or setup a network. He is a writer who happens to write about computers, but that doesn't mean he knows how to use them properly.

As far as the guy not knowing what he's doing, plus 1
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by cfs »

From the desk of el Señor Fig

I believe the reports of the death of Windows 7 are greatly exaggerated.

A la Charleston Heston, you will have to take my version of Windows 7 from my cold, dead hands.
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dad2000
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by dad2000 »

Windows 7 is firmly embedded on many corporate/enterprise desktops. Windows Vista was largely a disaster, and Windows 8 was a major step backward in usability for productivity type users.

I wouldn't worry about this too much. While you may not be able to get phone support from Microsoft, security patches will be forthcoming as long as Win7 is on enterprise desktops.

Windows 10 will be out soon, but it will likely take years before it becomes the dominant version of Windows.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by Quickfoot »

I'd actually expect WIndows' life cycle to be greatly shortened in the very near future. MIcrosoft just changed the IE support periods (IE 8 was going to be supported until around 2018) and will be ending support and security updates for IE 8, 9 and 10 in January 2016. In that announcement they indicated they will be pushing people to more recent technology stacks much more aggressively in future. While Windows 7 is not in immediate danger Microsoft is not going to repeat the Windows XP retirement fiasco and is not going to support it nearly as long as they did XP.

Windows 8 is actually really good, it's a little different which scares people but once people get used to it I've not met one person that went back to Windows 7. Windows 8 is incredibly stable and is actually faster than Windows 7 on the same hardware. Windows 10 is also looking good (though it is basically Windows 8 with some tweaks and a new name).

People said companies would never give up XP and a year after support ended it's less than 5% of the market, IE 6 and 7 have seen similar fates. What actually gets people to upgrade is Microsoft putting their foot down and killing ancient technology.
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CountryBoy
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by CountryBoy »

When you say
security patches will be forthcoming as long as Win7 is on enterprise desktops.
is that a fact or a wish?

I love my Windows 7 but since they discontinued support for XP(that I loved) I have every reason to believe they will take this also 'from my cold dead hands.'
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by Exterous »

nordlead wrote:EDIT: I'm convinced this guy doesn't really know how to use a PC or setup a network. He is a writer who happens to write about computers, but that doesn't mean he knows how to use them properly.
I am thoroughly inclined to agree:
Windows 7 refuses to talk to the other machines on the network. It won't talk to one of the Epson printers and new drivers cannot make it work. It turns its nose up at the old Network Attached Storage (NAS) device I use. There were some patches that allowed it to see the NAS for a while, then it crapped out and the connection never worked again.
Yet - somehow - the two companies I have been a network admin at have been able to get hundreds of windows 7 machines to talk to a vast assortment of network attached devices with (generally) no problems.
Quickfoot wrote:I'd actually expect WIndows' life cycle to be greatly shortened in the very near future. MIcrosoft just changed the IE support periods (IE 8 was going to be supported until around 2018) and will be ending support and security updates for IE 8, 9 and 10 in January 2016. In that announcement they indicated they will be pushing people to more recent technology stacks much more aggressively in future. While Windows 7 is not in immediate danger Microsoft is not going to repeat the Windows XP retirement fiasco and is not going to support it nearly as long as they did XP.
I'm not so sure about that. Browsers are one thing but the OS is a whole different issue. For consumers it would be possible but businesses just can't move that fast. Many make very large capital investments on software and they aren't inclined to just throw those out in order to go with the new version that is required for the new OS. Often a particular software developer doesn't even exist anymore so there isn't a new version available even if they wanted to pay for it. This doesn't even cover the shear scale of deployments. Nearly half a million ATMs in the US were still on XPe at the start of the year and tens of thousands of POS terminals, not to mention a myriad of automated systems in a vast array of manufacturing environments
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Kenkat
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by Kenkat »

Wow, there's actually someone who liked Vista. Never met anyone like that before. :D
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by JohnFiscal »

Actually, the author of the article, John Dvorak, could be referred to as "Mr. PC". He has been around since before Moses in the personal computer world and is immensely knowledgeable.

I found his remarks and comments in the article very cogent.

I was a bit flabbergasted to read that Windows 8 (with which I have no experience) runs applications "full screen". That is the whole point of "Windows"...each app runs in its own window and you can arrange them to view however is most convenient for you. With smaller monitors I found it most convenient to maximize each window, but upon getting a 22" monitor I realized the full utility of having multiple applications running with each (or any) window visible. A flash of insight that was due to personal experience.

I hope that Windows 10 is not a bust. I had the misfortune of getting Windows ME on a Dell laptop, and what junk that system was. I have Vista on a Sony laptop that is great but is now beyond "getting on" in age. Looking to replace with a full (laptop) system, not a tablet; for me tablets will never replace a pc. I would turn towards Mac but I am not confident that my collection of Excel spreadsheets will fully function there. And that's all I want, a platform for my Excel spreadsheets. For internet, a Chromebook would suffice.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by Alex Frakt »

nordlead wrote:EDIT: I'm convinced this guy doesn't really know how to use a PC or setup a network. He is a writer who happens to write about computers, but that doesn't mean he knows how to use them properly.
Got to be John C. Dvorak.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by oneleaf »

Quickfoot wrote:
Windows 8 is actually really good, it's a little different which scares people but once people get used to it I've not met one person that went back to Windows 7. Windows 8 is incredibly stable and is actually faster than Windows 7 on the same hardware. Windows 10 is also looking good (though it is basically Windows 8 with some tweaks and a new name).
I agree with this. I believe the Win 8 hate went overboard. I used 7 and 8 on the same hardware and found 8 to be faster and an overall better experience. Both were stable enough.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by Alex Frakt »

oneleaf wrote:
Quickfoot wrote:
Windows 8 is actually really good, it's a little different which scares people but once people get used to it I've not met one person that went back to Windows 7. Windows 8 is incredibly stable and is actually faster than Windows 7 on the same hardware. Windows 10 is also looking good (though it is basically Windows 8 with some tweaks and a new name).
I agree with this. I believe the Win 8 hate went overboard. I used 7 and 8 on the same hardware and found 8 to be faster and an overall better experience. Both were stable enough.
The hate of the User Interface (UI) is fully deserved. In a poorly thought out effort to force people to become accustomed to their tablet and phone UIs and to try to drum up a new revenue stream from their app store, Microsoft broke how we've been using computers since we switched from DOS to Windows 3.1. They should have changed the name to Window 1.0 or DOS 6.3. Note that even Microsoft has figured this out this doesn't work, the only real change from Windows 8 to 10 is that they have scrapped the single window UI.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by dad2000 »

CountryBoy wrote:When you say
security patches will be forthcoming as long as Win7 is on enterprise desktops.
is that a fact or a wish?

I love my Windows 7 but since they discontinued support for XP(that I loved) I have every reason to believe they will take this also 'from my cold dead hands.'

Microsoft pledged support through 2020 (as has been noted in the revised subject line). I'm not aware of MS ever shortening a product support cycle after publishing it. Additionally, I remember at least a couple of circumstances when Microsoft released patches after support expired because the risks were just to great.

According to at least one source (http://www.netmarketshare.com/), Windows 7 has 54% of the desktop share right now. It won't be dead anytime soon.
Last edited by dad2000 on Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
patrick
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by patrick »

The linked article was actually about the end of sales of new OEM licenses, not the end of support, although I have read end of support panic over Windows 7 elsewhere. If you want something to worry about, note that Windows Server 2003 extended support ends next year, and Vista extended support ends in 2017.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by Rob5TCP »

In the commercial marketplace, Win7 seems to have it all over Win 8. Only on sporadic installations do I come across an 8 machine. With almost 6 years left of support, I suspect Win10 will be the replacement for Win7, not Win8. My main two PC's are Win7. I will bypass Win8 and purchase a Win10 machine in 12-18 months. I found nothing compelling in Win8 for me or my clients. The fact that extended support ends in 6 years in not a great concern.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by Browser »

I wouldn't touch Win 8 with an 8-foot pole. It was well worth the search to find a new machine that came with Win 7. Let's hope that Win 9, 10 or whatever is as good as 7, or else I'll be using my Win 7 machine until the keys fall off.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by Steelersfan »

According to this highly referenced site, Windows 7 has almost 53% market share of devices worldwide. XP is actually still second at almost 28%. Windows 8 is less than 7%.

Windows 7 is going to be around for a very long time. Maybe even longer than XP. :)

http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating ... pcustomd=0
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by kalex »

i had to check the date to make sure this article wasn't posted on april fool's day.

this should be on the onion.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by CountryBoy »

The fact that extended support ends in 6 years in not a great concern.
Why shouldn't it be a concern? I don't understand. I am very much a buy and hold sort of guy.
Last edited by CountryBoy on Wed Oct 29, 2014 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by Ged »

Windows 10 is only a few months off. Surely that should obviate any concerns about needing Windows 8.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by arthurdawg »

We use Windows 7 at the office... won't be looking to upgrade anytime soon. We just retrofitted most of our older computers with cheap and fast 128 gb SSDs, the performance jump with them running Win 7 was well worth it, a number of these symptoms were upgraded from XP at the same time.

OTOH, enjoying Yosemite and a new terabyte SSD on my MBP at home!
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by bhsince87 »

JohnFiscal wrote: I was a bit flabbergasted to read that Windows 8 (with which I have no experience) runs applications "full screen". That is the whole point of "Windows"...each app runs in its own window and you can arrange them to view however is most convenient for you. With smaller monitors I found it most convenient to maximize each window, but upon getting a 22" monitor I realized the full utility of having multiple applications running with each (or any) window visible. A flash of insight that was due to personal experience.

I'm running multiple windows on a Win 8 box as we "speak". No problems whatsoever, and it looks just like it always has.

I had some major trepidation upgrading from XP to 8, but I did it a few months ago. I had already been on Win 7 at work for about a year. I got a great deal on a refurb box that came with 8, so I figured I'd give it a shot for a while and see how it went.

So far, so good. Just as stable as 7 or XP, if not better. I had some issues with stuff popping up when I went to the edges of the screen, which I hated. But I eventually figured out how to turn that off. My only complaint now is that I still struggle to find some stuff, especially settings.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead?

Post by Mudpuppy »

JohnFiscal wrote:I was a bit flabbergasted to read that Windows 8 (with which I have no experience) runs applications "full screen". That is the whole point of "Windows"...each app runs in its own window and you can arrange them to view however is most convenient for you. With smaller monitors I found it most convenient to maximize each window, but upon getting a 22" monitor I realized the full utility of having multiple applications running with each (or any) window visible. A flash of insight that was due to personal experience.
Running "full screen" in Windows 8.x only happens when you are running applications in Metro (e.g. mobile or tablet) mode (and I realize Microsoft doesn't call this mode "Metro", but it will always be Metro to me). This mode is intended for smaller screens, where there is not always the real estate available for multiple windows. If you switch over to Desktop mode, you can have multiple windows arranged however you want. Desktop mode also supports all of the older keyboard shortcuts for rearranging windows (e.g. Windows key + left arrow to resize to half width and move to the left side of the screen).

The idea behind Windows 8.x is you have one OS that can work on a wide variety of devices, hence having modes to support different environments. It only gets to be problematic when an app supports only Metro mode, or when it's difficult to switch between modes for a given program.
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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by stratton »

Windows 7 final sales day was October 31 for CONSUMER copies.

Business systems with Windows 7 are still available.

Dell, as an example.

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Re: MS Windows 7 Dead [in 2020]?

Post by TimeRunner »

deleted - obsolete
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