SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Yesterday Microsoft ended support for Windows XP. While many users and even businesses continue to cling to the venerable OS there will be no further security updates and even with active anti-virus and malware protection, many users will be left unsecure reports the LA Times and various other news outlets.
There are some exceptions for the right customers.
The UK and Dutch governments have paid Microsoft multiple millions to extend support for Windows XP past the 8 April cutoff date.
The UK extension cost £5.5m but is only valid for a year, after which public-sector users will have to be moved to newer software.
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
Microsoft Ends Support for Windows XP
|
Log In/Create an Account
| Top
| 54 comments
| Search Discussion
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Cum tacent, clamant. When they are silent, they shout. -Cicero
(Score: 2) by ngarrang on Thursday April 10 2014, @05:10PM
I still use the command line in Windows. And now that PowerShell is getting pretty good, there are lot of administrative tasks that are so much easier to do with PowerShell than a bunch of clicking. So, the hairyfoot challenge kinda fails on the premise that Windows users aren't using a CLI, because many do. This does not make a desktop OS a server OS. DOS was never a server OS.
To compare a tech to the average user, though, is a bit like comparing someone that non-mechanic driver and a mechanic. Both can operate a car, but only one can tune it up effectively.
(Score: 2) by Hairyfeet on Friday April 11 2014, @04:31AM
Did I say the CLI needed to be banned? No simply that it has NO place being foisted upon Joe and Jane average. Here is the Hairyfeet Challenge in full (since the other poster linked to a shortened version I came up with for LI), see how easy it is to reproduce...
1.- download the distro of your choice from 5 years ago, for say Ubuntu IIRC the release would be 10.10. the reason for this is to simulate a 5 year lifecycle of a PC. 2.- Install the version from 5 years ago. Since you are the system builder and NOT the customer? Feel free to use any CLI you require. 3.- Once its installed and fully functional? this is THE KEY PART...upgrade/update the system using ONLY the GUI tools that are provided. this is to simulate what would happen to the customer during the lifecycle of the machine.
Know what I found? ZERO PASSED, not a single one. even if you further skew the test in favor of Linux by using so called "Linux friendly" wireless (which I would argue if you can ONLY buy certain hardware? You are NOT a replacement for Windows but for the Mac) it does NOT matter because sometime during that (frankly grossly underestimated, since I see many 7+ year old dual cores being used in the field) 5 year lifecycle some "genius" dev will decide to change conventions or "tweak" shit and crap all over the drivers. Sound? rarely makes it past the second upgrade, video? if Intel it might last 2, everybody else won't make the first upgrade without black screen o death most of the time.
This test is simple, requires no special hardware (and in fact for the best most accurate simulation a 5+ year old system should be used, which you can usually get for free from freecycle or craigslist) and since previous versions of distros are sitting there to be had beyond easy to reproduce. the fact that I have been offering this challenge for over FIVE YEARS and not had a single taker frankly should say more than I ever have to, they won't take the challenge because they know what happens.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.