GEEKNOTE: With just barely two months to go before Microsoft officially stops supporting Windows XP, I’m starting to see folks get serious about getting rid of their ten year old antique computers. Let’s think about this for a minute: Windows XP came out in 2001 and a lot has changed in the intervening 13 years.
All I can say is “Its about time”. It hard to justify that ANYONE spend ANYTHING trying to keep an old XP box running.
I’ve sold quite a few brand new Windows 7 machines in the last three months and the pace seems to be speeding up, with two such machines going out the door on Friday and two more on Saturday. I’ve got another twenty machines that will likely find homes between now and the end of February.
I’m STILL not a fan of Windows 8. There is a rumor that a “direct to desktop” option will be available with the next Windows 8 update in a month or two. It can’t come too soon. Windows 8’s “Metro” interface is probably very nice on a phone or tablet, but it is worse than worthless on a desktop because it makes you relearn how to use your computer to do simple things. Imagine buying a new car and discovering that the car company has replaced the gas and brake pedals with a twist throttle and hand brakes like on a motorcycle. Not good.
Under the circumstances, I recommend Windows 7 to anyone retiring a Windows XP system.
The good news for our business customers is that credit is available again. Two of my customers are looking at very attractive leases that will allow them to replace ALL of their XP systems.
Perfectly serviceable Windows 7 systems are available for less than $500. If all you do is email and web surfing, they will do you just fine.
Very NICE systems are under $1000 and you’d be hard pressed to spend much more than that unless you are a hard core gamer.
Interestingly enough, you wouldn’t know that Windows 7 was even an option if your only exposure to computers is in your local big box store. They simply don’t stock them. The smaller independent shops like ours, that cater to business customers are much better places to look for Windows 7.
It is THEORETICALLY possible to get a Windows 8 computer and downgrade it to Windows 7. We’ve had a few customers who have gone this route and it isn’t always a simple project. Some of the big manufacturers are building Windows 8 machines and not offering the drivers necessary to do the downgrade. If you go this route, make sure you can get the drivers.
As a general rule, I love new stuff. The latest computer hardware on the market is absolutely amazing. Naturally, I make sure that anything I get has the Windows 7 support I need.
Feel free to drop by the shop, leave a note here, or give me a call if you have any questions.
Rob Marlowe, Senior Geek
Gulfcoast Networking, Inc
http://www.gulfcoastnetworking.com
Disclaimer: Sometimes the old stuff is better… I’m writing this while listening to a new Carole King LP I picked up a couple of months ago… Yes, you can still purchase new LP’s.