How to skip Windows 8 and continue using Windows 7

whs

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The copy of Windows 7 you're running today will not stop working when Windows 8 comes out. It will continue to be supported for an additional seven years, with mainstream support until January 2015 and extended support until 2020.

During that time, Microsoft will probably release Windows 9 and Windows 10 and be well on the way to Windows 11. Yes, thanks to Microsoft's extended support lifecycle you will probably be able to upgrade from Windows 7 directly to Windows 11.

How to skip Windows 8 and continue using Windows 7 | ZDNet
 

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That could be detrimental as if the Start Screen becomes more mainstream, talk about a UI shift!
 

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    x2 3 TB Toshibas
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    Windows Defender, but I might go back on KIS 2014
Hi there
surely if you don't want to upgrade you don't have to. If your computer and software work today they way you like it - it could still work in 50 years time assuming all the hardware was still functional.

Just because Ms is ending support for XP etc at specific dates doesn't mean the OS will stop dead in its tracks -- true you won't get security updates or anything but if you've never been bothered by this sort of stuff then this wont matter a toss.

What you could lose though would be the ability to surf sites (your old web browser might not work with new or future web designs)
and your 16 bit Email application probably wouldn't work on the newer 256 bit Os/s of the future period.

However for anything that didn't require EXTERNAL connections to the Internet you should be fine for as long as you want to keep the OS.

You can STILL run Windows 3.11 for workgroups on a VM if you want - available from TechNet -- even today.

For Old time Mainframers - If you download Hercules you can get a real working version of IBM's MVS 3.8 mainframe OS running on your laptop - complete with TSO sessions etc etc. !!!! Now this OS went out around the late 1970's !!! but you can still run it if you want to.

Hercules The Hercules System/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture Emulator

MVS 3.8J installable system MVS Tur(n)key System - Readme File

Cheers
jimbo
 

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That could be detrimental as if the Start Screen becomes more mainstream, talk about a UI shift!

Not at all.

Firstly , a phone interface might not continue to be the default ui.

Secondly, whatever method of accessing apps. is included in future Windows will be a lot better and easier to use than it is now
 

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There is a different potential problem looming.

1. Up to now, Joe public walks into pc's r us with £500 to spend.

The salesman offers a choice of of oem machine 1, and says it is better for gaming - or oem machine 2 - if you don't care much about gaming you might prefer this as it is thinner and lighter, looks sexy, too.

OK says Joe.

2. Next year, Joe public walks into pc's r us with £500 to spend.

The salesman says first of all, which operating system do you want?

Joe says - HUH what is an operating system :confused:

Salesman: You can have windows 7, or Windows 8 rt , or you can just about get Windows Pro

Joe: I have no idea what you are talking about - what is the difference?
 

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  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
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Just because Ms is ending support for XP etc at specific dates doesn't mean the OS will stop dead in its tracks -- true you won't get security updates or anything but if you've never been bothered by this sort of stuff then this wont matter a toss.

When support for XP ends (2014) what is going to happen?

How long will you still be able to download the complete set of XP updates, before MS shuts the update server(s) down?
 

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    AMD Phenom II x6 1055T, 2.8 GHz
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    Ubuntu 10.04 (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-01-14
    RAM & Graphics Card Upgraded - 2013-01-13
    Monitor Upgraded - 2012-04-20
    System Upgraded - 2011-05-21, 2010-07-14
    HDD Upgraded - 2010-08-11, 2011-08-24,
I ran Windows XP, and then skipped Vista and then installed Windows 7.

When support ends of Windows XP, there simply won't be any new updates for it. The old updates will continue to exist and could be reinstalled if you reinstalled XP again.

Once Windows 8 is released through, you aren't going to keep seeing Windows 7 PC's sold in stores. All new PC's will come with Windows 8. The user will likely have a downgrade option, but this is something they will have to take care of themselves and reinstall Windows 7 on their machine.
 

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When support ends of Windows XP, there simply won't be any new updates for it. The old updates will continue to exist and could be reinstalled if you reinstalled XP again.

I realise there won't be any new patches/updates. :)

Surely MS will turn the servers off at some point.
"This thing costs us $50/day in electricity. Shut it off!"

Can you still get the patches/updates for W98, or W2K from MS (I haven't tried it)?

Once Windows 8 is released through, you aren't going to keep seeing Windows 7 PC's sold in stores. All new PC's will come with Windows 8. The user will likely have a downgrade option, but this is something they will have to take care of themselves and reinstall Windows 7 on their machine.

I'm predicting that there will be a surge in cracked/pirated versions of W7.
 

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System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 (64 bit), Linux Mint 18.3 MATE (64 bit)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    n/a
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II x6 1055T, 2.8 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASRock 880GMH-LE/USB3
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 1333 G-Skill Ares F3-1333C9D-8GAO (4GB x 2)
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    ATI Radeon HD6450
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    Western Digital 1.5 TB (SATA), Western Digital 2 TB (SATA), Western Digital 3 TB (SATA)
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    Tower
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    Wired Optical
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    Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 16 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-11-13
    Ubuntu 10.04 (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-01-14
    RAM & Graphics Card Upgraded - 2013-01-13
    Monitor Upgraded - 2012-04-20
    System Upgraded - 2011-05-21, 2010-07-14
    HDD Upgraded - 2010-08-11, 2011-08-24,
The main problem I see using an OS past its expiration and burial date is not only security and/or performance updates from Microsoft, but the fact that software coders won't support that old OS anymore. Drivers, probably yeah. But as for third party software support, it goes away. It's happening with xp. First, Microsoft is cutting xp out of Office 2013 and IE 9 and Windows Live Essentials 2011. Then, after that will come the eventual lack of third party software support. For some enterprises that would be a HUGE issue to have outdated software with no chance of updated software due to using an archaic version of Windows.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS
    CPU
    AMD FX 8320
    Motherboard
    Crosshair V Formula-Z
    Memory
    16 gig DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS R9 270
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Seagate Barracuda (starting to hate Seagate)
    x2 3 TB Toshibas
    Windows 8.1 is installed on a SanDisk Ultra Plus 256 GB
    PSU
    OCZ 500 watt
    Case
    A current work in progres as I'll be building the physical case myself. It shall be fantastic.
    Cooling
    Arctic Cooler with 3 heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K750 wireless solar powered keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Touch Mouse
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, but I might go back on KIS 2014
For some enterprises that would be a HUGE issue to have outdated software with no chance of updated software due to using an archaic version of Windows.

As jimbo45 and others have stated many times, that is one of the reasons XP is still the 1st or 2nd most widely deployed desktop OS (depending on whose figures you use).

They can't update the software or hardware (for whatever reason) so they have to keep using XP, even if they want to change.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 (64 bit), Linux Mint 18.3 MATE (64 bit)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    n/a
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II x6 1055T, 2.8 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASRock 880GMH-LE/USB3
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 1333 G-Skill Ares F3-1333C9D-8GAO (4GB x 2)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD6450
    Sound Card
    Realtek?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung S23B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital 1.5 TB (SATA), Western Digital 2 TB (SATA), Western Digital 3 TB (SATA)
    Case
    Tower
    Mouse
    Wired Optical
    Other Info
    Linux Mint 16 MATE (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 17 MATE (64 bit) - 2014-05-17
    Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 16 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-11-13
    Ubuntu 10.04 (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-01-14
    RAM & Graphics Card Upgraded - 2013-01-13
    Monitor Upgraded - 2012-04-20
    System Upgraded - 2011-05-21, 2010-07-14
    HDD Upgraded - 2010-08-11, 2011-08-24,
For Old time Mainframers - If you download Hercules you can get a real working version of IBM's MVS 3.8 mainframe OS running on your laptop - complete with TSO sessions etc etc. !!!! Now this OS went out around the late 1970's !!! but you can still run it if you want to.
That is really interesting. Maybe one day I will try that. I spent a couple of years in the development of MVS components - that was in the mid 60's. Can you imagine - that was nearly 50 years ago.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
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