Today Microsoft shuts down Windows 7

[BrunoBæ]

You often see people who buy a new brand of car suddenly begin telling everyone how good this new car is.
And how many advantages there is owning and driving this new car compared to the old one.
The strange thing is that the less such car owners understand what is going on in a car the more patriotic such car owners often are praising the new car.

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: Its quite amusing how a single post stating the simple fact that Microsoft does pull the plug to Win7 does get people to tell others how laughable they are if they dont install Win10 - and thereby accept that Microsoft takes control over OS updates on their personal puter.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I'm not a fan of how Windows 10 drives updates. I have a friend who was in Guadalajara, Mexico and had mistakenly connected to their local low speed internet connection. An unexpected Windows Update cost him almost 3 hours of down time. I've also had my wife gripe just as she was about to head home that it was doing another F#$King update. It's just very inconvenient.

The other thing Windows 10 does is monitor your activity. Even if you shut off all the settings which are sometimes reset during an update.

One time after a Windows 10 Update, my laptop acting like a mobile device decided that Skype wasn't allowed to access my microphone or speaker like when you allow a phone app access. The whole tablet / laptop thing can work well. My wife has a laptop/tablet hybrid and seems to like it. However the crossover is that sometimes a laptop or desktop gets hit with things that make absolutely no sense.

When MS decided to create the all in one OS for phone / Tablet / laptop & desktop with Windows 8, it was an absolute disaster/ royal PITA. It would not run multiple screens well. I ran it on my gaming computer for my flight simulator, but that was it. I didn't want it on my laptop or desktop.

Windows 8 did recognize USB devices more quickly and reliably than Windows 7, but that was the only useful feature that I saw.

The issue is that MS saw that smart phones and tablets were quickly out numbering desktop computers and they jumped the shark to cater to that market and mess up power desktop users because we are a small percentage. Of course that was most of their developer network.

 

[BrunoBæ]

Another great feature of Win10 is that Microsoft does promise to help users to scan their puters for all installed software.
And they are even so helpfull that if they feel the need they will automagically change settings and stuff related to both MS and 3rd party software.
Pretty convincing

 

[Turk]

I don't really have any issues with windows 10, I got it for free, so I can't complain too much.

I guess it depends. PS used to cost a few hundred dollars, so a subscription breaks even in about 3 years, plus you get Lightroom. "IF" you were upgrading PS with every new release, it could be worth it. I prefer to own my software.

I have the subscription, had been using CS5 up until then. I don't mind the cost, it's easier to deal with than paying up front and I started using lightroom, which I never used before, spend a lot of time in that package now. I probably wouldn't have used it if they didn't force me and now I guess I'm kind of glad they did.

But Adobe is playing with fire. I dropped Adobe for video editing and switched to resolve. Premiere is much easier to use but it's not worth €10 or whatever it is a month with resolve out there for free, or €300 if you want all the bells and whistles.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

I don't really have any issues with windows 10, I got it for free, so I can't complain too much.

I have the subscription, had been using CS5 up until then. I don't mind the cost, it's easier to deal with than paying up front and I started using lightroom, which I never used before, spend a lot of time in that package now. I probably wouldn't have used it if they didn't force me and now I guess I'm kind of glad they did.

But Adobe is playing with fire. I dropped Adobe for video editing and switched to resolve. Premiere is much easier to use but it's not worth €10 or whatever it is a month with resolve out there for free, or €300 if you want all the bells and whistles.

They should have kept option of non sub Lightroom, this is all most photo hobbyists want. I'll keep using CS6 and standalone LR6 until they still work and after will consider some alternatives unless this sub only situation changes.

 

[RCHeliguy]

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

I get that MS will not support Win 7 anymore. But it doesn't mean anything to most people that use if.
Apart from a really annoying display issue since updating to ver 1909 with older dx9 sims I have had no big issues with Win 10.
That said I am not happy they spy on me and sell my data to highest bidder. After all I did pay for the OS!
Been fort and back with trying out Linux the last few years and think I finally found a distro that works for me.

 

[BrunoBæ]

Yeah if just Linux had direct support of DirectX HW calls so gaming was possible without some extra (lagging) layers like the Wine translator I would be happy to godbye Windows.
I was hoping for Vulkan - but it doesnt look like there are massive entusiasm from the game producers.

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

I am still in early testing but lots of games run faster under linux with a wrapper ether with Steam's Proton which is faster than wine or even better with a DX to Vulcan wrapper called DXVK.
The later is moving forward fast and can also be used under Win.
Likely best with AMD cards as their Linux Vulcan drivers are way better than Nvidia's.
Not an expert and are still testing and learning but even with Nvidia Gpu I see no lag with ether Proton or DXVK.
Wine on the other hand do have some lag unless you use winetricks!

 

[maelstrom]

And even without any goofy antivirus thingies I have never had any nasties on my lil puter.

But how do you know for sure? I did some spring cleaning on a friends system which had never had any antivirus or anti-malware installed for the 4 years he’d had it. I found 3 pieces of malware including a key logger! They’d had no noticeable affect on his system performance so he had no idea how long they’d been there. Better to install antivirus than to have to change all of your passwords and bank details.

I'm not a fan of how Windows 10 drives updates. I have a friend who was in Guadalajara, Mexico and had mistakenly connected to their local low speed internet connection. An unexpected Windows Update cost him almost 3 hours of down time.

It’s easy to set it to update only at times you specify rather than just randomly. Additionally, I’d highly recommend turning off driver updates (which can cause a lot of issues) and just leave the essential/security updates - also very simple to do.

I used to be a big fan of Windows 7 until I changed to Windows 10. I’ve only noticed a small performance improvement in games since the change but, more importantly, my whole system seems much snappier now. I’ve yet to have a single problem following an update.

If you’re happy with Windows 7 then there’s no compelling reason to upgrade immediately. However, when the next major security threat (like WannaCry) appears, you’ll be much more vulnerable because of the lack of security updates.

 

[BrunoBæ]

Better to install antivirus than to have to change all of your passwords and bank details.

@maelstrom
Haha you sounds like a dedicated antivirus sellar
Why is that?

I know a few things about puters and SW and I still use the same install(!) from mid 2009.
The only anti thingies that comes near my puter is a mandatory anual online scanning.
Just for fun

But I have to say that if I suddenly arrives on a site where some weird things happens I just reload my latest Acronis image - which swallows any nasties.
It takes 5-6 minutes on my lil system partition.
Hehe and conserning Microsofts socalled security updates - then if a 10+ years orig install hasnt been infected just make some statistics about how dangerous it is to run without any anti thingies and security upd.

@Bjarne Hansen
Im extremely interested in your experience with Linux and gaming.
And if my wheel(drivers) and the few racing games I have installed can be supported by Linux WITHOUT DELAYS/LAGS via a simple wrapper or Vulkan then you are free to report back.
Hehe or PM me.
It would make my day if I could more or less get rid of Microsoft.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I saw that Windows 10 has improved its politeness with regard to updates. Yesterday it asked me if I would like to schedule an update for for later. It's nice to see that and it is really the only serious beef I have with it.

The subscription software is collateral damage with the upgrade but not directly caused by the operating system.

I've been running Win 10 on my gaming system for a long time now and a work laptop. My main development box was the only straggler and I never waited for it to do anything so performance wasn't that big a deal.

@brunobarros Thanks for reminding me that I need to reinstall Acronis backup on this system now that it's updated. I do love being able to clone a boot drive and then test upgrades etc. on it.

 

[maelstrom]

Haha you sounds like a dedicated antivirus sellar
Why is that?

I have nothing to do with any AV developers, I’m just an end user basing my opinions on personal experience. My AV software of choice (Bitdefender) has no noticeable affect on game performance so my approach is "better safe than sorry”. Appart from having to buy it initially, I see no downsides.

Hehe and conserning Microsofts socalled security updates - then if a 10+ years orig install hasnt been infected just make some statistics about how dangerous it is to run without any anti thingies and security upd.

Even though millions were affected by WannaCry, most people weren't. But why take the risk, no matter how slim? No antivirus software is guaranteed to be 100% effective but it significantly reduces the chances of your system going down from an infection. It’s a no-brainer for me.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Backups and redundant systems...
At least for business purposes. I do back up my gaming system once in a blue moon.

 

[BrunoBæ]

@maelstrom
You quoted my 10+ years thing - and then you still ask Why take the risk?
But the reason I joked about the statistics based on the 10+ noninfected years is because the statistics would conclude that there is more risk travelling an airplane or walk the street than refusing to let a goofy anti thingy enter your puter.
Thats why

It has probably something to do with attitudes.
I have decided to both travel with airplanes and walk the street.

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: Who the hell is @brunobarros

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

@Bjarne Hansen
Im extremely interested in your experience with Linux and gaming.
And if my wheel(drivers) and the few racing games I have installed can be supported by Linux WITHOUT DELAYS/LAGS via a simple wrapper or Vulkan then you are free to report back.
Hehe or PM me.
It would make my day if I could more or less get rid of Microsoft.

No expert on Linux.
Will make another tread when I got some real info

Regarding wheels, Logitech wheels are well supported while TM is more of a miss and hit which ones are supported

 

[BrunoBæ]

One of the reasons I havent tried to mess with Linux and gaming is because the stories I have heard about missing driver support(wheels/pedals).
But also that if people got a game to work then it was running slower(more lagging) than under Windows.
When I was an iRacing member there was actually (unofficial) Linux support but also here it was running slower than under Windows.
And as I understand it iRacing have completely stopped supporting it.

Hehe I actually read some articles that Steam via the ancestor of Vulkan(Mantle) would make it possible to run games without Windows/DirectX.
But also that seems to have vanished.