If you were to ask anyone what their favourite Windows OS is,
they’re very likely to say Windows XP or Windows 7. Sadly, the former is
officially dead, and the latter will quietly disappear by this time next year.
As it stands, this quiet passing away is needed. Windows 7, while most
certainly a great OS, is 9 years old. To put its age in perspective, the iPhone
3GS was launched that year. Windows 7 is so old that it’s no longer supported
on newer hardware. Any updates, in fact, will have to be patched onto a
framework that is very ancient. Microsoft has already ended mainstream support
for Windows 7 and will only continue to provide essential security updates
through to 14 January 2020. Security updates are critical for the security of
any person or organisation and for an OS, and given that a fair chunk
of people are still using Windows 7 (35.63 percent of Windows users),
this is cause for concern.
Microsoft’s current, modern OS, Windows 10, only has a 52.26
percent market share, and if its recent update woes are anything to go by,
Microsoft isn’t working hard enough to endear the OS with users. While there
are three
times as many users on Windows as there are on macOS, the number of people
using a 9-year old version of macOS are insignificant. Once
Microsoft ends support for Windows 7, your systems will be wide open to any
form of attack. Microsoft does make exceptions for certain special use-cases
for companies that are willing to pay a lot of money, but the average user had
better start thinking about upgrading.
A free upgrade: If you’re using a genuine version of Windows 7 (or
8/8.1), simply download the Windows 10 installer and use your key. As long as
the key is genuine, you’ll have a fully functional version of Windows 10
running on your machine. You might get the occasional nag screen reminding you
to upgrade, but you can ignore that for now. Free
Windows 10 without piracy: Another option is to
simply install Windows 10 without a key and use it. Yes, it’s that easy.
Microsoft doesn’t disable an unlicensed Windows 10 copy. You won’t be able to
change the wallpaper and there will be a permanent message at the bottom of
your screen reminding you to upgrade, but for all intents and purposes, it’s a
fully functional copy of Windows 10. Do bear in mind that a while a private
user can get away with doing this, companies will require keys for legal
reasons. Pay for Windows:At Rs 10,000 for the Home version, Windows 10 is far from
cheap. However, if you’re going to be using your PC for a while, it’s a
one-time investment. Microsoft claims that Windows 10 is the last major Windows
release and that users will be continually upgraded, so there aren’t any yearly
upgrades to worry about. Windows alternatives: How about switching to another OS? Unless there are
some specific Windows apps that you can’t live without, Linux, ChromeOS and
macOS are great options for many users. With most work and entertainment
shifting online, do you really need anything more than a browser, a media
player, a text editor and an image editor? Many games and Windows apps can also
be emulated on Linux and macOS. Whatever the case, if you’re still on Windows
7, you only have one year to evaluate your options. If you value your data and
privacy, upgrade, and as soon as possible.
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operating system