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Since we're all sharing stories of family tech support - I recently had to give my sister's Toshiba laptop an overhaul, upgraded to Windows 10. That's it... no

Since we're all sharing stories of family tech support - I recently had to give my sister's Toshiba laptop an overhaul, upgraded to Windows 10. That's it... no drama, no problems -sorry. Didn't XP teach us all a lesson about locked in/legacy software and it's danger to the security and stability of modern computing? Why is it okay that my iOS and Android devices essentially require an update several times a year but not my PC OS?

Nullabillity 10y ago
> Why is it okay that my iOS and Android devices essentially require an update several times a year but not my PC OS? Except, uh, they don't? My tablet (ASUS P01MA/Z580CA) still runs Lollipop and works fine. My phone (Nexus 5X) pops up with an update every month, but there is no coercion to install it, and it doesn't install it without my approval.
- tdkl 10y ago
  Precisely. I refuse to update my phone (Sony Z3C) because based on feedback it performs worse in battery life, because Google strongarmed Sony to remove their superior battery optimisation logic (Stamina) and include Googles halfassed one (Doze). So if I'm happy with current configuration, why change it?
mrweasel 10y ago
>Didn't XP teach us all a lesson about locked in/legacy software I would agree with anyone claiming that this is a shitty argument: Users to some extend brought this upon themselves, because given the option people would stay on Windows XP or older. All the people that are still on Windows XP, their user experience has just gotten better, no longer is Windows nagging them about updates and security fixes. Microsoft is trying to transition people to rolling upgrades, because users suck at letting go of their old unsafe legacy software. They transitioning in a shitty manor, but I'm not sure they have much choice, other than turn their back to Windows 7 and 8 users. I have co-workers that when they where upgraded to a later version of Windows on our terminal server wanted to know: Can't we just stay on Windows XP. This is people who try to sell consumers what ever happens to be the fashion this month. People that would like nothing better than customers that swap out everything in their home every six month. Everything except the operating system on the computer apparently. Yes, Microsoft has made a shitty move, but on the other end of that spectrum is end users that would have you run Windows XP service pack 27.
- josefresco 10y ago
  "because given the option people would stay on Windows XP or older." "Can't we just stay on Windows XP" This is awesome because it highlights my point. Users, if given the choice will defer, defer, defer until it's too late. MS should be applauded for "saving users" from themselves.
khedoros 10y ago
> Why is it okay that my iOS and Android devices essentially require an update several times a year but not my PC OS? In my case, two points come to mind, for me. First: My phone isn't as important as my PC. It's just a convenience. If the update ruins something, I can always re-flash to a clean image, and the phone'll automatically re-sync most of my stuff. Or I can grab the spare from the drawer. Or buy a cheap-o replacement for $50 or so. Second: My PC's set up to support almost 30 years worth of software and a couple different OSes, with some weird hardware configurations. It's a much more complex system. Several things will break during a major upgrade. > Didn't XP teach us all a lesson about locked in/legacy software and it's danger to the security and stability of modern computing? Sure. Stick it behind a firewall and don't go questionable places online. Reboot to Linux if you really feel like you need to ;-) My Windows XP machines work just fine, thank you very much!
- josefresco 10y ago
  "First: My phone isn't as important as my PC" You're the minority. I don't know a single person outside of tech, or maybe the "office" world that would consider their PC more important than their phone. "Stick it behind a firewall and don't go questionable places online." This is a joke right? My Mom's XP is used for browsing mainstream news sites, weather etc. and her PC was thoroughly polluted despite having an active AV/firewall etc. Infections aren't only a problem for those that use BT.
  - khedoros 10y ago
    > You're the minority. I understand that my opinion is in the minority. Maybe I should rephrase it that the actual instances of data on the phone aren't as important. Cloud backup is ubiquitous, easy to use, and gratis from multiple vendors. Pictures, Videos, texts, contacts, etc all either get backed up, or weren't stored on the phone in the first place. With Apple phones especially, it's simple for average users to take a backup image of the phone. >This is a joke right? No, it's reflective of my personal experience. I haven't had an infection on an XP machine since about 2005. I have no idea what the heck other people are doing to get into so much trouble. Either I'm doing something magically right, or I've had insane levels of luck. My netbook's on at home, booted into XP right now because I forgot to put it to sleep before I left.
DKnoll3 10y ago
>Why is it okay that my iOS and Android devices essentially require an update several times a year but not my PC OS? Who said it was?
- josefresco 10y ago
  The choices are (roughly) Install and Later. So you're right, no one has a gun to your head but there is no "never" option and you're constantly nagged. Not to mention you're left out of the modern app ecosystem, which these devices are heavily dependent on for their function.
  - DKnoll3 10y ago
    Exactly. Oh, you can keep using your old device, you just can't have the latest version of iOS. Oh, you want apps on your old device? Just install the "___" version of iOS! Thanks for nothing!

Nullabillity 10y ago

> Why is it okay that my iOS and Android devices essentially require an update several times a year but not my PC OS? Except, uh, they don't? My tablet (ASUS P01MA/Z580CA) still runs Lollipop and works fine. My phone (Nexus 5X) pops up with an update every month, but there is no coercion to install it, and it doesn't install it without my approval.

tdkl 10y ago
Precisely. I refuse to update my phone (Sony Z3C) because based on feedback it performs worse in battery life, because Google strongarmed Sony to remove their superior battery optimisation logic (Stamina) and include Googles halfassed one (Doze). So if I'm happy with current configuration, why change it?

mrweasel 10y ago

>Didn't XP teach us all a lesson about locked in/legacy software I would agree with anyone claiming that this is a shitty argument: Users to some extend brought this upon themselves, because given the option people would stay on Windows XP or older. All the people that are still on Windows XP, their user experience has just gotten better, no longer is Windows nagging them about updates and security fixes. Microsoft is trying to transition people to rolling upgrades, because users suck at letting go of their old unsafe legacy software. They transitioning in a shitty manor, but I'm not sure they have much choice, other than turn their back to Windows 7 and 8 users. I have co-workers that when they where upgraded to a later version of Windows on our terminal server wanted to know: Can't we just stay on Windows XP. This is people who try to sell consumers what ever happens to be the fashion this month. People that would like nothing better than customers that swap out everything in their home every six month. Everything except the operating system on the computer apparently. Yes, Microsoft has made a shitty move, but on the other end of that spectrum is end users that would have you run Windows XP service pack 27.

josefresco 10y ago
"because given the option people would stay on Windows XP or older." "Can't we just stay on Windows XP" This is awesome because it highlights my point. Users, if given the choice will defer, defer, defer until it's too late. MS should be applauded for "saving users" from themselves.

khedoros 10y ago

> Why is it okay that my iOS and Android devices essentially require an update several times a year but not my PC OS? In my case, two points come to mind, for me. First: My phone isn't as important as my PC. It's just a convenience. If the update ruins something, I can always re-flash to a clean image, and the phone'll automatically re-sync most of my stuff. Or I can grab the spare from the drawer. Or buy a cheap-o replacement for $50 or so. Second: My PC's set up to support almost 30 years worth of software and a couple different OSes, with some weird hardware configurations. It's a much more complex system. Several things will break during a major upgrade. > Didn't XP teach us all a lesson about locked in/legacy software and it's danger to the security and stability of modern computing? Sure. Stick it behind a firewall and don't go questionable places online. Reboot to Linux if you really feel like you need to ;-) My Windows XP machines work just fine, thank you very much!

josefresco 10y ago
"First: My phone isn't as important as my PC" You're the minority. I don't know a single person outside of tech, or maybe the "office" world that would consider their PC more important than their phone. "Stick it behind a firewall and don't go questionable places online." This is a joke right? My Mom's XP is used for browsing mainstream news sites, weather etc. and her PC was thoroughly polluted despite having an active AV/firewall etc. Infections aren't only a problem for those that use BT.
- khedoros 10y ago
  > You're the minority. I understand that my opinion is in the minority. Maybe I should rephrase it that the actual instances of data on the phone aren't as important. Cloud backup is ubiquitous, easy to use, and gratis from multiple vendors. Pictures, Videos, texts, contacts, etc all either get backed up, or weren't stored on the phone in the first place. With Apple phones especially, it's simple for average users to take a backup image of the phone. >This is a joke right? No, it's reflective of my personal experience. I haven't had an infection on an XP machine since about 2005. I have no idea what the heck other people are doing to get into so much trouble. Either I'm doing something magically right, or I've had insane levels of luck. My netbook's on at home, booted into XP right now because I forgot to put it to sleep before I left.

DKnoll3 10y ago

>Why is it okay that my iOS and Android devices essentially require an update several times a year but not my PC OS? Who said it was?

josefresco 10y ago
The choices are (roughly) Install and Later. So you're right, no one has a gun to your head but there is no "never" option and you're constantly nagged. Not to mention you're left out of the modern app ecosystem, which these devices are heavily dependent on for their function.
- DKnoll3 10y ago
  Exactly. Oh, you can keep using your old device, you just can't have the latest version of iOS. Oh, you want apps on your old device? Just install the "___" version of iOS! Thanks for nothing!