I'm keeping one Windows XP machine because...

Hi Lucas28.

I suggest you remove or disable network controllers in device manager on your Win XP installation. Many more applications than web browsers and mail programs access the web.

Mac.... from frying pan into fire!

Apparently it appears the driver situation is worse on the Mac side as some vendors seem to believe that Mac users have deep pockets and not fond of hanging onto older equipment.

No matter the longevity of XP has been really really good and far beyond what many expected. Win 7 I hope will last that as long. It really deserves to.

I totally agree with you, Mac’s are terrible for new O/S launches with-in 2 years of each other so small equipment manufactures don’t have a change to upgrade their drivers.

Win 7 support with cease in 2019 so that will give everybody time enough to switch to a new O/S, but will they or will it be another case of Déjà vu

Lucas28 said:

But it's much less than 14 years. It was introduced october25 2001, that is 12,5 years. It was sold until 2007 when it was followed by Vista. That makes it 6 years. After the introduction of Vista it still was sold, as an alternative. So now its is 5 or 4 years.

I wonder how long Windows 8.1 will be supported.

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Per Wikipedia -- "Microsoft released Whistler Beta 1, build 2296, on October 31, 2000. Build 2410 in January 2001 introduced Internet Explorer 6.0 (previously branded as 5.6) and the Windows Product Activation system." Non-beta, final release version of XP was released to manufacturers August 24, 2001 and release for general availability was October 25, 2001. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP)

Windows XP's life was extended by Microsoft beyond the typical life cycle reported as a response to maintain market share on low end systems. I wonder if there was also enough pressure by the business community to continue extended support that helped sway Microsoft to extend the lifecycle.


What is the difference between mainstream support and extended support?

• Mainstream support—Microsoft will offer mainstream support for a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product's general availability, or for 2 years after the successor product is released, whichever is longer. For example, if you buy a new version of Windows and five years later another version is released, you will still have two years of support left for the previous version.
  
  
• Extended support—Microsoft will offer extended support for either a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product's general availability, or for 2 years after the second successor product (two versions later) is released, whichever is longer.
  

Current lifecycle info on MS OS's, including Windows 8.1, at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/lifecycle. See #3 of the FAQ on Lifecycle policy for further details at http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy

The Hat said:

Win 7 support with cease in 2019 so that will give everybody time enough to switch to a new O/S, but will they or will it be another case of Déjà vu

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According to the MS web site, the Lifecycle for Windows 7, Service Pack 1, will cease January 13, 2015 for mainstream support and January 14, 2020 for extended support. (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/lifecycle)

No doubt there will be, to paraphrase American baseball player and coach Yogi Berra, another case of "Déjà vu all over again"

My main bank still uses Win XP.
They are one of the largest in Canada.

mikling said:

My main bank still uses Win XP.
They are one of the largest in Canada.

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They may have gotten extend it support at a big price, or maybe there using network XP which is still been supported for now..

After installing all XP updates and anti-virus updates, I unplugged the ethernet cable from my XP machine yesterday. I then disabled the network adaptor. I stopped every service that operated background "updates". I also uninstalled every program I rarely used. The machine starts much quicker now!

mikling said:

You see I tried 2 different types years ago and they did not work so I am leery. Maybe the newer ones have better microcode to be more compatible.

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They are not exactly plug and play
but if you follow the correct install sequence they work fine
briefly
with printer off
install printer driver, do not click do a test print
plug in USB end of adaptor to PC, windows should recognise this and install driver.
connect adaptor to printer
go to printer property’s and change port from LP to USB
Turn on printer and do test print

turbguy said:

After installing all XP updates and anti-virus updates, I unplugged the ethernet cable from my XP machine yesterday. I then disabled the network adaptor. I stopped every service that operated background "updates". I also uninstalled every program I rarely used. The machine starts much quicker now!

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A man with a plan. That'll work!