Windows 7 anyone ?

[jharrelson]

I've been with Microsoft Windows every since it started many years ago.. I've had all of the versions up to and including Windows 10.

I downloaded win-10 on top of win-7 .... it was the way you got win-10 for free.

I tried working with it for about one year and finally gave up .....  Win-10 is the worst thing ever thought up by mankind.

I "re-set" my windows desktop back to win-7 and swore I would never again have anything but win-7 on my computers..

I'm a happy camper with "7" ........  it does everything I want, including 99% of everything Win- 10  could/can do only much simpler and easier. 

Does anyone else still use Win-7 or maybe even Windows XP. ( which was also great and is still being used by many businesses like banks and government programs )

 

 

[Randy_ac7nj]

I’ve also been with Microsoft sense DOS came out on 5” floppy. 

All of the upgrades over the years haven’t been great. Some had problems with compatibility with hardware, some were awkward to use. But overall the operating system has improved. I’m currently using windows 11

 

[doctor_Manhattan]

Hi jharrelson,

I've been with Windows since XP. Tried using Vista for a while, got 7, then 10 and... the same thing happened to me. I thought I'd get used to it, after all 7 seemed a bit weird in beginning too. But it was terrible, so terrible that I even gave Ubuntu a go for some time.

In the end, I just returned to 7 and here I am, using it now - old good work horse it is))

[Vladimir]

Yep, just upgraded from Windows 2000 to Windows 7.

Well, that was for the observatory computers.  I did have a brief stop at Windows XP, but since most of my computers were running Windows 7 I went ahead and upgraded them to Windows 7.

I have ONE computer running Windows 10.   What a awful system!!!   I thought I might upgrade all my computers to 10, but forget it.

As much as I hate doing business with Chinese companies, my next computer might be an Apple. 

Yeah, I know try Linux....I did and so far it is a no go for my "non-science" computer.

[RV_]

6 hours ago, Randy_ac7nj said:

I’ve also been with Microsoft sense DOS came out on 5” floppy. 

All of the upgrades over the years haven’t been great. Some had problems with compatibility with hardware, some were awkward to use. But overall the operating system has improved. I’m currently using windows 11

 

Me too since 82 or 83. Even DR DOS and GeoWorks the Windows for Workgroups 3.1 which was the first one I found stable and Windows 95 on. I could not say it better than you put it Randy. I have seven systems now all 10 but one on 11 that came with 10 and worked perfectly but does not work reliably with 11 and crashes when I use my Hauppauge TV tuner which it did not on 10 before I let it upgrade. It is a new Lenovo with a 10th gen processor and I am reverting it back to 10. Lenovo Premium support is horribly unhelpful and if I followed some of their suggestions it would be bricked. Never Lenovo again. Dell or HP from now on. BTW with my new Lenovo down until I make time to do a clean install of 10 on it my 2013 Dell 2720 AIO is still running 10 better than the new one ran 11! I'm now realizing I should sell the Lenovo, keep my Dell as the main system until it dies or 2025 comes and I decide on 11 and buy new. (Not Lenovo)

BTW I loved 11 when it worked. No big change. I will switch when I have a system that comes with 11 with all the right drivers by a company that supports their systems with knowledgeable tech support, unlike my experience with Lenovo.

Edited June 26, 2022 by RV_

[durangodon]

I was a big fan of XP until I bought a new laptop with Win7.  For the past 10 years or so, I've been using Win7 and really like it.  I recently bought a new computer which came with Win10.  I've only been using it for about six months, but I don't have any problems with it.  Other than having to find how to do some old tasks a new way, I don't really see much difference.  In keeping with my nature, I'll not upgrade to Win11 until forced to by circumstances.  🙂

So, not to contradict anyone in the above posts, just curious, what all have you found lacking in Win10 that you feel like Win7 was superior?  Do you have older programs what it won't run?  Are you unable to perform some tasks that were present in Win7 but not in Win10.

Thanks.

[DJW]

I still use XP on a laptop who's soul mission in life is to run Techstream which is the software Toyota and Lexus use.  Other than the OS that is the only program on the old Dell Inspiron Mini.  Started with Windows 7 on the laptop that I am typing this on and it is now running Windows 10.  To old to run Windows 11.

Dennis

[k4rs]

I prefer to use an operating system that is supported and receives security updates.  If your computer never goes online, I believe it is safe to continue using an unsupported OS.  For those who prefer to stay with Win 7, updates are still available, just not directly from Microsoft:

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/simplix_updatepack.html

I really liked Win 7 but some of my newer hardware is not supported.  Most of my computing is done on Linux.  For those things that require Windows I prefer Win 10.  I have 2 machines running Win 11 just so I can remain current and really do not like it.  Of course I don't really like Win 10 either, but of the 2, Win 10 is the lesser of the 2 evils.  

Safe Travels...

[Vladimir]

4 hours ago, durangodon said:

 

So, not to contradict anyone in the above posts, just curious, what all have you found lacking in Win10 that you feel like Win7 was superior?  Do you have older programs what it won't run?  Are you unable to perform some tasks that were present in Win7 but not in Win10.

Really hate the interface in Windows 10.  It has lots of useless information and MicroSoft wants to push more of it onto the desktop.  I will stay with my IPAD for apps and widgets. 

 Is there a way to go back to a Windows 7 interface??

Almost all the legacy programs for astronomy have run into issues with Windows 10.  It takes a long time to track down drivers and other issues.  Much simpler to stay with the system that works.  I am getting old and time is precious and get mad every time I spend a day or so FIXING things on the computer. 

 

 

[Chalkie]

7 minutes ago, Vladimir said:

Almost all the legacy programs for astronomy have run into issues with Windows 10.  It takes a long time to track down drivers and other issues.  Much simpler to stay with the system that works.  I am getting old and time is precious and get mad every time I spend a day or so FIXING things on the computer. 

I have an old laptop still running 2000 for that very reason. I have some ham radio programs that run very well in 2000 and nothing else without a lot of work. 

 

[jharrelson]

Maybe a little more detail will explain my thoughts on Anti-Virus programs.  ..  ... I am a 80 yr old person living with 2 cats... and they don't care what's in my puter files, so I'm safe there.

many years ago during the "Win-XP" era when "Ready Made" anti-virus programs started appearing on the scene there were two that bragged how safe my computer would be with their program guarding it.. 

The first one I installed was Norton ...

the next day I turned on the computer and sat there watching a malware program actually "Eat" the Norton program and after 30 minutes of ranting and raving and calling Norton everything but a "gentleman" and "scholar" .. I dug out the re-boot disc that came with computers back then and reset it back to "Day 1" when it came out of the box brand new.

Next I installed McAfee... it was a little better ,,, it lasted almost a week before another malware program "Ate" it also.

So once again..I had to re-boot  puter back to day one

for the next few years I tried several Anti-Virus programs on each version of windows that I bought and none of those other Anti-Virus programs did any better.

When W-7 came out I fell in love.. it was fast and was compatable to most of my old programs on my floppies and like XP it was easy and simple to use..

But this time I said the heck with all Anti-virus programs and tried something new and BINGO !!! .. it worked.

I installed three FREE programs on the W-7 and have not had any problems since.

Ccleaner ... Advanced System Care ... IOBit Malware Fighter ... and of course .. MS Security Essentials.                                          I "run" each of the programs twice a week to keep the puters clean

I have 3 desktops with W-7 ... 2 laptops with W-7 ... and run a large mail order business using those computer and have never had a sucessful attack because these programs stopped the attacks instantly.

But to each their own, if an "anti-virus" program makes you feel safe thats great.. as for my "2 Cents"  I'll stick with what I have ... 

[jharrelson]

Now as for why I hated Windows 10 ...

1.  I had to sign in with a password everytime I turned on the computer.. (But I found a way to get around that)

2. Everything is hidden and I had to search .... and search ..... and search .... to find the program I wanted to use and then had to find where the finished file was hidden... 

3. only a very few old programs would work with W-10.. even using the "compatability" tool.

and many other things I cannot think of right now... 

If I was a youngster, a newbe with my first computer and it was a W-10 I would have no complaints because it's the only Win version I had seen ...                                                                                                                                                                     but when you've spent years driving a Chevy with all it's comforts and simple to operate controls, it's hard to drive a foreign made car with all of it's unfamiliar controls.

once again folks ... this just my 2 cents on the subject.

[Payroll Person]

The biggest change over pc years? Those that used them 20-30 years ago were experts. Now, a computer is an appliance and few are experts (and those claiming to be an expert are usually not as real experts don’t need to say it) . Example, ask someone what a file folder is, or how to delete a file and see the funny looks you get. OS had to change or die. As a programmer I used to spend 90% time creating, 10% preventing user errors.  Not is is maybe 5% creating and 95% pondering and preventing strange things users will do and blame me for (because current society is the computer should not allow any mistakes to be made, so any mistakes could never be the fingers in control).

The best and only reliable Malware prevention is the grey matter controlling the fingers.

The good is MS finally realized this too and kept backwards compatibility. W11 can run dos programs, 3.1 programs, etc. the compatibility issues are caused by programmers who used undocumented API calls in earlier versions of windows.

For non pro and non gamer uses, the hardware is well past anything one needs so an off the shelf sub 500 box does very well. Personally, I use the surface pro as I need the semi ruggedness and security functions.

one other thought, Windows long ago did away with the stand alone version. All versions have network and multi user ability, which for a time, caused issues. There is certainly more overhead this causes, but the issues have been resolved. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Payroll Person

[RV_]

On 6/26/2022 at 9:39 AM, k4rs said:

I prefer to use an operating system that is supported and receives security updates.  If your computer never goes online, I believe it is safe to continue using an unsupported OS.  For those who prefer to stay with Win 7, updates are still available, just not directly from Microsoft:  I have 2 machines running Win 11 just so I can remain current and really do not like it.  Of course I don't really like Win 10 either, but of the 2, Win 10 is the lesser of the 2 evils.  

Safe Travels...

I couldn't say it better, totally agree. 🖖

[Vladimir]

On 6/26/2022 at 6:28 PM, Payroll Person said:

 

.................................one other thought, Windows long ago did away with the stand alone version. All versions have network and multi user ability, which for a time, caused issues. There is certainly more overhead this causes, but the issues have been resolved. 

thanks for the smile.

Now that I am not working anymore I really don't need ANYTHING that doesn't meet my needs.  

I have a 10,000 dollar astronomy camera.  That is what it cost new.  I paid $500 for it twenty years after its introduction.  Works fine.  Likewise, so does my Lightroom Six version.  And a whole host of other OLD software.

I get the security part. 

I have dedicated Windows 7 laptops for astronomy, photography, writing, and a couple more for specialized other uses like reading reference CD's ROM publications.  I avoid connecting to the internet with these machines.

For internet surfing I use a Apple IPAD.  Never had a security issue with it.

 

[Ray,IN]

 A state-wide hospital system here is still running Windows XP for their main system. It is all connected via a huge private network. They said upgrading would cost hundreds of millions and years of adaption, vs approx 100 thousand/yr for upgrades and security for XP.

Newer isn't always better.

[jharrelson]

Many banks and credit unions still use Win-XP for that same reason.

[franco-bolli]

 

6 hours ago, jharrelson said:

Many banks and credit unions still use Win-XP for that same reason.

Let me know which banks and credit unions still use XP.

If they don't have their network air-gapped, I won't use them.

[Dp26]

Anyone with PII in their charge, using a known insecure OS (such as non supported, by MS) is derelict in their duty.  Financial reasons are just an excuse, MS publishes end of life data, and good business means planning for things like obsolescence and death.  Air gapped means nothing, as there are still humans who will insert media into the computer ports, which as anyone who remembers floppies knows, means unsafe.  Heck, the humans may share their own phone internet access so they can surf on the supposedly non connected computer.

Of course, anyone who believes in privacy is a fool, as there is no such thing.  Ask any CCW holder or applicant, in CA, within the last 10 years about privacy, which included judges, and certainly at least some DV victims.

[RV_]

On 6/26/2022 at 7:28 PM, Payroll Person said:

Now, a computer is an appliance and few are experts (and those claiming to be an expert are usually not as real experts don’t need to say it) . Example, ask someone what a file folder is, or how to delete a file and see the funny looks you get.

Personally, I use the surface pro as I need the semi ruggedness and security functions.

one other thought, Windows long ago did away with the stand alone version. All versions have network and multi user ability, which for a time, caused issues. There is certainly more overhead this causes, but the issues have been resolved. 

Payroll, could not say it better myself. I missed your post before and the topic seems run out. I keep control panel and task manager pinned to the taskbar along with Nord, my phone link etc. Windows 7 system imaging and restore in control panel still works perfectly with 10. I have a 1 TB USB WD Passprt drive and a WD Elements 4TB drive as well as a SATA USB 3 drive dock for the old drives and a new one M.2 NVMe drive dock I used for my new back systems a Dell 3080 and Dell 5080 to clone the 128GB and 256GB respectively M.2 drives to 1TB WD Black SN770 NVMe SSD in each and upped them to 32GB RAM, withe 10th gen Intel i5 six core processors.

Like you said most folks today can't initialize a drive or clone or do system images. I was never a programmer but was a DOS Master back in the day and had folks try to call em a programmer because we put up our squadron BBS and could write .bat files. Not programming even though we all knew a bit of basic. I bought Malwarebytes lifetime licenses way back for 15 bucks each and have five of them they have kept working and up to date. I run Malwarebytes premium and defender set to scan occasionally. Pretty much does all I need. We could tell expert horror stories. We do have some real experts here and I am not one of them except in niche area or two.

We are both Surface fans and started with the RT which I sold then had most of then the Pro 3/4 and now we have the Pro 7 and pro 7+ LTE along with two Surface Go2 m3 LTEs.

Good post.

Edited July 5, 2022 by RV_