Windows Vista and XP no longer supported

[alw34]

I would urge using good anti-virus though

How many anti virus do we need.

FIOS, my IP, says it has one.
Windows has one.
I also run Malware Bytes...
good grief.

I can one GPS system to find my location.
I don't need three types of oil in my car.
I don't need multiple voltages to run my fridge.

Can't PC software designers do better?

 

[rude man]

They probably can, but they make more money making our lives difficult!
Seriously, if you plan on maintaining XP or vista, realize that uSoft no longer supports them, meaning you can't depend on their firewall, updates (mostly nonexistent) etc. Also, if your ISP anti-virus is as crummy as mine (McAfee), ditch it in favor of Webroot secureAnywhere. Yeah, costs $40/year but unless you go to W7 you need good protection.
Malwarebytes is not anti-virus but don't expect me to explain the difference. Have no clue myself. Basically I have Malwarebytes but never run it. I have had great luck with webroot which has caught a number of latent malware.

 

[krater]

How many anti virus do we need.
...
I don't need three types of oil in my car.
I don't need multiple voltages to run my fridge.
...

I can almost guarantee there are at least three types of petroleum lubricant somewhere in your car.
If one were to pick enough nits I bet you could easily find a dozen or more.

If your fridge is old enough there may only exist one voltage inside the case. But most every modern kitchen appliance has some mix of microprocessors and/or sensors operating maybe in ranges of millivolts to a couple dozen volts in addition to any components running mains voltage.

You didn't need antivirus or even a battery with your first solar calculator either. Well, it probably DID have a battery in it somewhere, too. Might still work too.

One thing you have to consider is that with a rapidly diminishing user base of a depreciated software comes a diminishing incentive to develop or deploy new exploits to hack into the shrinking number of outdated computers. When do you suppose the last WinNuke95 packets have floated through many routers?

 

[rude man]

One thing you have to consider is that with a rapidly diminishing user base of a depreciated software comes a diminishing incentive to develop or deploy new exploits to hack into the shrinking number of outdated computers. When do you suppose the last WinNuke95 packets have floated through many routers?

I think this is a good point. Folks have dissuaded me from continuing to use XP, claiming it will become increasingly vulnerable to malware since it's no longer supported. But the above is an equally, or I think more than equally, persuasive argument why it's OK to continue to use XP. Anyway, I am, and boo to the 7, 8 & 10 gang.

 

[krater]

I realize that I should probably qualify my previous remark.

A decision to go forward with an unsupported OS should not be taken lightly. This thread helps to point that out. Sticking with XP can to a degree paint a bullseye on you. As user base goes so does development of countermeasures to any new widespread attacks.

If you are worried about up-to-date security you should probably consider an up-to-date OS. Windows or otherwise there is also functionality to be considered as well.

XP might actually be strong enough in its dedicated user base that threat protection could concieveably go "open source" maybe even to the point of writing MS-hotfix style solutions if enough effort manages to get put behind it. Pure speculation of course but its a big world.