Posted by Paul DeCesare on March 11, 2014 at 7:09 PM
Hi Gang,
For those still clinging to Windows XP, this is just a reminder that Microsoft has picked April 8, 2014 as "End of Life" for the beloved operating system. Don't worry, it will still work as always, but there will be NO more Windows Updates for XP from Microsoft. As time goes on, there will certainly be more and more security threats against it by the bozos that write malware and viruses and take advantage of security holes, and there will be NO Microsoft patches to fix these things. So that means you have a legitimate excuse to get a spiffy new PC or laptop, lol! If your budget is tight, look at Dell's Outlet center for Scratch N Dent PCs, they are priced quite reasonably and come with a warranty of some sort. If you have a bigger budget, a custom built PC is so amazingly fast you'll wonder why you waited. Check out Puget Systems, NPN members do get a discount. If you feel confident enough to build your own but just haven't done it before, email me or some of the other NPN geeks, we'll be happy to answer all questions. If someone says "I tinker all the time, change hard drives, etc, I would surely build one, but what parts do I get, there are bazillions of choices just in CASES out there!", definitely email me. Just like lenses, there are a handful that you want and the rest get avoided.
The point is to get a present-day PC that easily handles 64-bit so you can run Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, 64-bit. That allows you to access up to 128GB of RAM. Win XP 32-bit does 3½GB, that's it. If you're coming from strictly using XP and haven't used 7 at a day job, etc, then go straight to Windows 8.1 and learn it, and you'll be on top of the game. I tried to hate Win 8, I was a diehard 7 fan, but 8 won me over.
OTOH, if you feel like doing the big switch, go for a Mac. The Photoshop CC plan for $9.99/month is STILL going, through March 31st. For $9.99 per month you get the latest Photoshop, Lightroom AND Bridge, plus 20GB cloud space and a Behance portfolio website. Total no-brainer! You'll spend that at Starbucks in two days, and 20X as much on cable TV, internet and cellphone. If you do the subscription, you still get two installs, and one of them can be Mac and the other Windows, doesn't matter. Or both of each, your choice. Once you have a new PC with a solid state drive running your OS and apps, and the new PS CC with that Camera RAW filter, you'll wonder what you ever waited for.
Don't you love how I spend your money?
Enjoy!
Posted by Brian Gatlin on March 11, 2014 at 10:21 PM
Paul, I shoot birds, not landscapes, and run a mac, not a pc, so I don't find a lot of opportunities to cross paths with you here directly, but I wanted to send some appreciation your way. I love seeing your posts and the way you help keep us all up on the latest technology and great deals, and everything else. there are so many ways that the people here and their diverse interests and skills make NPN a great place.
As usual, Paul is right on. I used XP for years, and liked a lot. now that I have Win 7 64 bit on both my desktop and laptop, life is so much easier and I feel more secure.
If you decide to cling to XP, don't connect it to the Internet or to a.network that is connected to the Web after 4/8: You'll be infected with malware within minutes. The baddies are watching...and waiting.
Discussion
3 repliesFor those still clinging to Windows XP, this is just a reminder that Microsoft has picked April 8, 2014 as "End of Life" for the beloved operating system. Don't worry, it will still work as always, but there will be NO more Windows Updates for XP from Microsoft. As time goes on, there will certainly be more and more security threats against it by the bozos that write malware and viruses and take advantage of security holes, and there will be NO Microsoft patches to fix these things. So that means you have a legitimate excuse to get a spiffy new PC or laptop, lol! If your budget is tight, look at Dell's Outlet center for Scratch N Dent PCs, they are priced quite reasonably and come with a warranty of some sort. If you have a bigger budget, a custom built PC is so amazingly fast you'll wonder why you waited. Check out Puget Systems, NPN members do get a discount. If you feel confident enough to build your own but just haven't done it before, email me or some of the other NPN geeks, we'll be happy to answer all questions. If someone says "I tinker all the time, change hard drives, etc, I would surely build one, but what parts do I get, there are bazillions of choices just in CASES out there!", definitely email me. Just like lenses, there are a handful that you want and the rest get avoided.
The point is to get a present-day PC that easily handles 64-bit so you can run Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, 64-bit. That allows you to access up to 128GB of RAM. Win XP 32-bit does 3½GB, that's it. If you're coming from strictly using XP and haven't used 7 at a day job, etc, then go straight to Windows 8.1 and learn it, and you'll be on top of the game. I tried to hate Win 8, I was a diehard 7 fan, but 8 won me over.
OTOH, if you feel like doing the big switch, go for a Mac. The Photoshop CC plan for $9.99/month is STILL going, through March 31st. For $9.99 per month you get the latest Photoshop, Lightroom AND Bridge, plus 20GB cloud space and a Behance portfolio website. Total no-brainer! You'll spend that at Starbucks in two days, and 20X as much on cable TV, internet and cellphone. If you do the subscription, you still get two installs, and one of them can be Mac and the other Windows, doesn't matter. Or both of each, your choice. Once you have a new PC with a solid state drive running your OS and apps, and the new PS CC with that Camera RAW filter, you'll wonder what you ever waited for.
Don't you love how I spend your money?
Enjoy!
If you decide to cling to XP, don't connect it to the Internet or to a.network that is connected to the Web after 4/8: You'll be infected with malware within minutes. The baddies are watching...and waiting.
Here's a Q&A article from the good folks at Puget Systems about steps you can take to minimize the pain: Windows-XP-End-of-Support-What-does-it-mean-for-you?.
Paul, I also agree with Brian when he says this:
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--P