Windows 7 is dead. And yet, at the time of support ending for Windows 7, 26% of PCs worldwide were still running the nearly 10-year-old operating system. It was a beloved piece of software that people have been clinging to for years.
But Windows 7 also plays an important role in Microsoft’s recent history. In two dire times of recent Microsoft history, Windows 7 was the stalwart operating system that kept the legacy of Windows alive and well.
It might seem obvious always to run the latest and greatest Microsoft operating system on your PC. But many people don’t agree. Windows 10 only recently surpassed Windows 7 as the most popular version of Windows. Despite the end of support in one year’s time, many are still holding on to the nearly 10-year-old Windows 7 operating system.
Though it has a rightful place in the heart of consumers, Windows 7’s drastic differences from Windows 10 might be a reason that you are holding back from a long-awaited upgrade. In this guide, we give a look at some of the biggest areas where the two converge.
Attention all businesses: Upgrade from Windows 7 or risk serious security consequences. That’s the message Microsoft is sending this week with the news that extended support for the 8-year-old operating system is set to end in 2020.
In other words, the Windows 7 operating system will stop receiving security patches altogether on Jan. 13, 2020. Companies that haven’t updated to Windows 10 will leave themselves vulnerable to malware attacks that the newer operating system can easily fend off. In fact, Microsoft recently published a report showing that Windows 10 Anniversary Update — the most current iteration of the OS — could neutralize two zero-day security exploits, even without the patches that have been needed to protect Windows 7 and other, earlier versions of Windows.
It’s official, Windows 8 is a write-off . Sales for the operating system have been poor and now it is even starting to lose market share to Windows 7. To Microsoft’s credit it has bravely persisted addressing issue after issue. Most notable was the major Windows 8.1 Update 1 patch released in April which makes the OS a genuinely credible platform. Still it remains far from perfect and now Microsoft is prematurely pulling the plug.
In a blog post by Microsoft Senior Marketing Communications Manager Brandon LeBlanc, he explains that there will be no more major updates for Windows 8: “despite rumors and speculation, we are not planning to deliver a Windows 8.1 ‘Update 2’.”
There’s nothing wrong with a mouse cursor, but for many tasks keyboard shortcuts are far more efficient than picking your hands up off the keyboard and pointing then clicking. Most users can name at least a few combinations off the top of their heads, and almost everyone knows the infamous Ctrl+Alt+Delete, but many of the best shortcuts are tragically overlooked.
Dispatches From The Front 