Forget Windows 8: XP users have options, says Ovum

Clive · Apr 11, 2013, 09:22:35

Businesses using Windows XP don't have to move to Windows 8 once Microsoft withdraws support - they should consider other "innovative" options such as tablets, Chrome OS and virtualisation, Ovum has said.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/enterprise/381076/forget-windows-8-xp-users-have-options-says-ovum?utm_campaign=pcpro_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

Glenn · Apr 11, 2013, 09:26:36

Making the move from XP - 8 over a 5 week period starting in late May at work.

Simon · Apr 11, 2013, 11:49:06

They may just extend it again...

Technical Ben · Apr 11, 2013, 13:14:21

Why go for chrome OS when you can just go straight to Linux?

Gary · Apr 12, 2013, 11:52:14

Quote from: Simon on Apr 11, 2013, 11:49:06
They may just extend it again...

Doubt it, also its not as robust these days against malware either. If you have a windows 7 disc I'd just update and be done with it.

Simon · Apr 12, 2013, 13:19:47

I do keep thinking about doing it, but it's such a mammoth task backing everything up first, just in case (I do have Windows on a separate partition), then reinstalling all the programs afterwards. It would take at least a full day, so I need to psyche myself up for it.

Simon · Apr 12, 2013, 14:54:09

Just used the Windows 7 Upgrade Adviser, and it seems to be uncertain as to whether a lot of my old programs will be compatible with W7, so that's a bit of a concern, as some of them would be quite expensive to replace. $:-\$

cavillas · Apr 12, 2013, 16:23:51

You can always use windows xp mode in windows 7 to run the older p[programmes, after all it was designed just for that scenario. It works very well also.

Technical Ben · Apr 12, 2013, 20:14:37

Used Windows 8 for the first time today. Most of the new features are ok. The GUI change is pointless and the only thing I like about it is the quick switching between metro. So I can use it as a giant start menu (which is not helpful, as I hate screen swapping apps/programs, give me windows!). Other than that one benefit, the rest seems counterproductive. They also decided to (just as they did with vista from XP) change the name of all the tools. So for no reason what so ever, I have to look up the new name (to type) or the new location (to click) to get anything done. It's fast mind, but then again Windows 7.2 would always be.

Some things are annoying, like how to actually close a Metro app. The metro app tiles constantly changing content and scrolling (argh, horrid. Give me a static window until I decide to scroll/look at data and info).

Oh, and it some how killed it's own audio driver (but probably not MS fault, probably the laptop makers). Thankfully it's practically blank, so a reinstall of windows is just as quick as a a drive clean/reg key search. And I'll be honest and say I don't know how to clean up the registry that well to solve driver problems. Mind you, it's done now and in time.

So basically, Windows 8 is fine while it acts like Windows 7.

PS, which ones would that be Simon? Would you consider an old box in the corner (or visualization) for the older programs?

Simon · Apr 12, 2013, 21:49:27

Quote from: Technical Ben on Apr 12, 2013, 20:14:37PS, which ones would that be Simon? Would you consider an old box in the corner (or visualization) for the older programs?

I've got loads of old boxes in corners all over the place!

It's things like my audio editing software (Adobe Audition, Sony Soundforge), Office 2003, and old versions of Adobe Elements and Paint Shop Pro that I'm worried about. Also, I'd need to find all the required driver disks before starting.

Technical Ben · Apr 14, 2013, 09:20:21

Adobe works in 7 AFAIK. Office can be swapped for open office.

For sound editing, you could look for other open source, or get 7 pro (or whichever version) and run in XP mode.

Simon · Apr 14, 2013, 09:25:48

Tried Open Office before, and some of my existing Excel files weren't compatible. Also, it doesn't have Outlook and I want that for Contacts synching.

wecpcs · Apr 14, 2013, 10:12:39

Quote from: Simon on Apr 14, 2013, 09:25:48
Tried Open Office before, and some of my existing Excel files weren't compatible. Also, it doesn't have Outlook and I want that for Contacts synching.

MS Office 2003 does work in Windows 7 as I was using it for a few years. One thing it does do, it keeps asking to accept the conditions, (a documented problem) but if you turn user account control off and then accept, then turn user account control back on, problem solved. You have to do a reboot each time you turn user account control on and off.
I have now changed to Windows 8 and it definitely does not work in that, so after trying the Office 2013 preview until it was released, now I am using the subscription option rather than paying over the top for the retail version when I only really use Outlook and Excel.

Colin

Simon · Apr 14, 2013, 10:49:14

My 'problem' is that I have Excel files going back to 2002, which I still need to be able to access. I do have a 'student'

copy of a later Office version somewhere, but I'm not sure if there's a time limit in which to install it, as I've had it for a couple of years now, and never bothered with it.

nowster · Apr 14, 2013, 13:05:31

Rather than Open Office (which is a bit long in the tooth now) go for the LibreOffice fork, which is where the active development is. It can even (not very well at the moment) open Publisher files.

Technical Ben · Apr 14, 2013, 15:23:12

Oh dear, why would you ever wish to torture someone by sending them a publisher file?

Clive · Apr 14, 2013, 17:13:35

My version of Paint Shop Pro is dated 2001 (10th anniversary edition) which predated XP and it works fine on Windows 7 Simon. Windows 7 finds drivers all by itself so they are not an issue.

Simon · Apr 14, 2013, 17:21:51

Well, I have a year to go yet.

andrew_w · Apr 14, 2013, 18:04:31

Some years ago I bought an admittedly low spec PC with W7 64bit pre-installed. I didn't like it, very slow, so installed Linux Mint 13 on it and it's never looked back! Missed out the Vista era.

Come next April, surely someone will set up a website to support and carry all the XP updates, service packs etc should the die-hard XP user wish to reinstall, like me

tamtap · Jul 06, 2013, 08:20:25

We are treating Windows 8 the same as we did Windows vista and just skipping it until Microsoft come to their senses and release 9!

nowster · Jul 06, 2013, 12:51:53

A few will take the leap and look for an alternative to Windows.

Technical Ben · Jul 06, 2013, 18:12:17

Quote from: Glenn on Apr 11, 2013, 09:26:36
Making the move from XP - 8 over a [25] week period starting in late [December] at work.

Fixed it for you... if it's anything like most places. Hope it actually goes smoothly for you though. PS, hope they pay OT for the extra time it takes to do everything, except turn on the computer (8 boots FAST).

Glenn · Jul 06, 2013, 19:15:20

We've do over a thousand now, about eight hundred to go, but we didn't start the rollout until mid June.

Technical Ben · Aug 12, 2013, 20:54:45

Yeah, even more of an update on my opinion on it. Been trying to fix a Vista laptop... Gah. I put XP through it's paces, and do some really nasty stuff to it for giggles, like swap a laptop disc into a Desktop, and am amazed it boots and works normally! Never tried 2000 much, but the thoughts on it were it was trash. Vista comes along, and yep. It's giving me trouble just getting it to update (countless errors and road blocks so far). When I got Windows 7, it worked a charm. But whenever I get to use 8, I just hold my head in my hands.

Does seem MS like to make a "tick and a tock" with their updates, but less "ticking and tocking" and more... well, you get the picture.