statsfantasm

Good news! The following chart has Windows Embedded POSReady 7 with support up to October 8, 2024. This means if a hack is found to make this edition's updates work for others (the same like enabling ESU in the 1st place), it'll be OK. That's what I am proposing to do alternatively for this year: Instead of switching the OS in light of ending usual ESU, circumvent to extend further. Unfortunately I do not know "how?" at the moment.

I'll keep Windows 7 offline for GOG games on one machine, using a Linux PC for the Internet on another.

"Life is fun!"

I'll just state my experience: Windows Update does not work without KB3138612, KB4474419, KB4490628.

Nobody prevents from installing Linux (preferably Arch with installing Firejail for additional sandboxing) into Oracle VirtualBox or VMware Player onto Windows 7 if this is of concern, then make Linux to be "a browser" with using Chrome/Chromium in it. The main upperside is 0.00% spying, maximum security, extremely fast updates. For other stuff, like gaming, I'll say Windows 7 is still totally fine, most of the time the "Windows 10 only" system requirements are false. Yes, this is hungrier on resources, but I don't see a decent alternative in our situation in regards to Google. Do you?

Taking proper cybersecurity measures is not "obsessed" nor "paranoia." Windows 7 from 2015 is absurdly vulnerable, to the extent of WannaCry being able to ransomware your machine, and any piece of software being able to take full control of your PC with administrative rights, especially on Nvidia with over 29 bugs. Updated Windows is significantly less vulnerable. That's what you do not seem to grasp in full power, the paramount importance of security. Like, makes me think that until you'll be wrecked by malware extremely badly, get own experience, you'll think "Why should I update? It runs perfect." Do you not install fire alarms with sprinkles against fire too, will you not call firefighters, would you close the eyes in "ignorance is bliss" & drink the tea surrounded by the hungry flames? I was like you too, a long time ago, didn't listen, thought wrongly. Saying "Why should I install counter-fire measures? The house exists perfectly." will never save you from fire in a wooden house, for example. Anyone who have survived through the misfortune of a deadly scary event of having their old electric grid self-fry the wires due to overload,—like, causing fire in the house in the time when their Android phone discharged, left without any help from neighbours, alarms or firefighters, were alone enraging flames,—will always 24/7 remember how actually critical is taking proper measures before fire strikes, how horribly threatening this is when it happens. It's a miracle I survived! If I haven't done the right thing in noticing it in another far-away room in time, in acting fast to water the fire down, or if it had happen at night, I could be dead.

You might find interesting iamtiredof's info from GOG Forum. They've singlehandedly tested Windows 7 compatibility for over hundreds of GOG games demanding Windows 10 in system requirements.