[lug] Windows XP End-of-Life: April 8, 2014

[Bear Giles]

I guess I'm just a systems guy because I look at what's going on beneath
the hood - how much memory is supported, how many cores, what network
protocols, etc. You can always keep your sports car in first gear but why?
I agree that MS screwed up the UX but that's not the only reason to upgrade.

The existing market, such as it is, isn't because people really love the XP
experience. It's because the users, almost entirely businesses, are still
using ancient software that can't run on newer systems. I can certainly see
the "why fix what's not broken" argument but it also has a lot of
limitations.

But if you're totally isolated from the net - go for it.




On Wed, Apr 9, 2014 at 10:52 AM, Dru Whitledge <druw at oneimage.com> wrote:

> What's XP got to do with Linux? Potentially, a lot -- but that potential
> is still wasted .... IMHO.
> Most of the people moaning about the passing of XP (me prominently among
> them) just simply want productivity from their PCs (or "utility" to be more
> precise). I hate Win 7 for many of the same reasons mentioned here (likely
> from long experienced users) -- big learning curve, big waste of time, big
> frustration -- for NO big benefit (no benefit I can identify). Win 7 also
> wiped out some favorite fully functional programs I've been using for years
> -- but then -- MS offered me a VMbox with XP in it to attempt to keep that
> productivity (and now that's offing is officially extincted). And that
> leads to the link between XP (MS) and Linux.
>
> I've long suggested -- long suggested -- that ALL Linux distros offer a
> standard VM box with automated assistance to install and configure --
> allowing mere mortal users -- non pro users, regular everyday people users
> -- the ability to immediately toggle back and forth between Linux (with
> free or super cheap productivity programs) and MS (XP or whatever) with the
> most commonly used, massively consumed, commercial MS programs (and Apple).
>  That ability to NOT have to choose an OS -- but instead have both OSs
> available (simultaneously) would allow regular everyday non-techie users to
> incrementally migrate their productivity (utility) to Linux. The HUMONGOUS
> global increase in the number of users (200 million Chinese XP users) would
> spur massive development of programs on Linux -- AND make MS mucho more
> friendly and receptive to negotiating extincting their old OSs -- which are
> apparently still viable revenue producers in China, Britain, Netherlands
>  -- and in the US -- except that we buckle under to MSs pressure to upgrade
> -- MSs preferred optimized revenue model -- to give us more crap.
>
> Dru
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web Page:  http://lug.boulder.co.us
> Mailing List: http://lists.lug.boulder.co.us/mailman/listinfo/lug
> Join us on IRC: irc.hackingsociety.org port=6667 channel=#hackingsociety
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.lug.boulder.co.us/pipermail/lug/attachments/20140409/6c4f93ca/attachment.html>