"OK! OK! We'll Support It!" LOL

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Now this question is off topic but everywhere I go their is always rants on fanboys. Dont get me wrong I hate them but there is some thing worse than a fanboy http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/6470/1461657-hatersgonnahate.jpg

I get the point, but I promise it is not "hate". IMHO the "fanboy" topic is really about enablers, there is nothing wrong with being a superfan of anything. Heck look at my picture thingie to the left, I'm a fanboy of many things myself, mostly music related but the principle is the same. So in all honesty, I have no reason to hate a fanboy of anything. I'm a fanboy of System Internals, and ERD/DaRT, old Norton and DISKEDIT, NirSoft, ASM and C, and so many others. But I won't become blind to a mistake, or in the case of Microsoft many mistakes. In fact you will find that the true Windows veterans ( considered Windows fanboys by Apple or Linux aficionados ) are the ones most angry about current events. It's similar to the way a parent comes down much harder on their own kids than anyone else due to higher expectations.

So no, it's about enablers really, in the obvious recent case of MetroTards ( not here at MSFN but elsewhere ) who cheerlead and enable every bad idea that has come down from Redmond, including destroying Windows itself so they can have their own little Playskool Toy OS ( which BTW is exactly how they themselves view Mac and Android, as toys ). It is important to note that they are not cheering for their own separate product from Microsoft designed especially for them that the market would decide its fate, they know that destroying Windows and assimilating its wide user base is the only chance their Toy OS ever had. I am totally honest in saying that I wish there really was a separate Microsoft Tiles, and then I would have no reason to constantly smack them around. However the reality is that converting PC Windows into Microsoft Tiles and the curated Store, and the deprecation of Win32 not only means the end of "Windows", but the PC itself. PC is Personal Computer. A personal computer is not one which they can milk for cash as the owner installs apps, it is the exact opposite and that is why they want it gone.

Anyway, this thing has been going on now for 4 full years since the iPad arrived and Microsoft lost its mind. The pushback and criticism of Microsoft has been relentless for 3 years since the first CES previews of Microsoft Tiles and the later BUILD announcements. It is far too late to criticize criticism of fanboys as a negative because they have in fact fulfilled all of the predictions we made about them. Old timers are most astonished since this crop of zealots have managed to surpass all the legendary and mostly apocryphal cases of Apple and Linux fans.

I'm not trying to change your opinion on this, just explaining what myself and a lot of people feel about them. We're a product of our age, experiences and environment, so YMMV. My own feeling is that stupid must be identified, and also punished. Not doing so lets the devolution continue. Perhaps we'll still lose in the end, the PC will die and Windows will become a pushbutton terminal for chimps. But I'm going down swinging and the enablers are going to be embarrassed at every opportunity.

( Image Sources: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 )

This graphic can be considered a Rorschach Test. If you see yourself in it and become angry or embarrassed blame Microsoft because that is how they see you.

Back on-topic, note that there is a similar kind of enabler that drums up the Windows XP FUD ( or whatever is currently designated "legacy" ), especially the sky will fall when WU stops. The problem there IMHO ties to something Dencorso hinted at, false sense of security. The enabling algorithm: IF you enable WU AND the OS is constantly getting security updates THEN you are secure. This is an epic fail and is disproved every day. In this case the enablers are falling back on the easy path, parroting the politically correct party line without nuance. And this attitude is practically criminal if you ask me. All they really accomplish by getting people to run to a new Windows version is the feeling of being safe, while also coincidentally stuffing more cash into the OS maker's pockets. Actually I would add that they also successfully move more people into a more penetrated spy platform. But more secure? That would only be true if Windows Update was now pushing out something that makes the sheeple smarter. I don't see such an app.

And to be clear, I am not suggesting everyone go and disable WU or similar. The point is that WU and Microsoft do not protect our computers. They cannot even protect the much more simplified Internet. Perhaps they mean well but that is not the same as doing well. And I wouldn't even be opening my mouth about this except for the constant FUD about Windows XP ( or any other ). For their FUD to ever be true would require the fact that WU is actively protecting Windows XP computers presently up until the day the switch is thrown and chaos ensues. But I know that is NOT true from experience. They are not protecting this computer in any way and truth be told it is likely far more stable from NOT having files changed all the time. Others can prove my hypothesis correct if they experiment as well.

EDIT: typo

Edited January 29, 2014 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[Flasche]

Now this question is off topic but everywhere I go their is always rants on fanboys. Dont get me wrong I hate them but there is some thing worse than a fanboy http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/6470/1461657-hatersgonnahate.jpg

I get the point, but I promise it is not "hate". IMHO the "fanboy" topic is really about enablers, there is nothing wrong with being a superfan of anything.

I don't think you are a hater but a seeker of truth. Trust me I got my fanboys too through out the years learned to never tune out anything.

Heres a whole link to other funny Linux vs. Windows vs. Mac http://itsfoss.com/10-funny-jokes-pictures-windows-mac-linux/ though be warned it is a Linux site

I do agree with you though, but I doubt windows will fall anytime soon. Sure windows 8 and the disappointment called 8.1 made things look worse but is nothing compared to the many fails apple has done when Steve jobs left. If windows did fall who would replace them apple... no. The real threat to windows is google. Google is wiping the floor of apple with android and already owns the Internet. Google has already entered the OS world too and offers cheap chrome books and free chromium OS. If windows does fall I got here to go to since I would never use a mac after owning one and Linux is really intense. I can also say I will never buy any new windows PCs if they continue to use metro especially after watching this

[...] comparing my computers to yours, not only [has] showed whom the safer/smarter user is, but [has also] showed the real backbone of security (= the user).

What did I say some posts back?

[...] One can try to eliminate all PEBCAK. [...]

Opps lots of typos but I will keep them since they are quite funny . The true security of a computer is like what an old man once wrote.

seeker of truth,follow no path,all paths lead where,truth is here

So if you want to use XP than go do it.

*NOTE* I will post here if POSReady gets updates after windows xp day 0.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Heres a whole link to other funny Linux vs. Windows vs. Mac http://itsfoss.com/10-funny-jokes-pictures-windows-mac-linux/ though be warned it is a Linux site

Very nice. :

[jaclaz]

Strangely ON Topic :

jaclaz

[JorgeA]

These two blog postings might shed some light of the issue of XP security, both absolutely and relative to other versions of Windows:

Windows XP death - What gives?

Microsoft claims that Windows 7 is more secure - with approximately 2x less infections per host. Now, Windows 7 has approximately 40% of the market, while Windows XP is down from about 90% to 45%. Let's call these facts. OK. Now, security companies claim that there is an exponential growth in malware - pick any recent report and you will find this doomsday message in there. It does not compute.

The law of large numbers tells us:

Based on Microsoft claims, we should be seeing an overall worldwide reduction in malware, both prevalence, incidence and infection rate, by about ~20%. Whence this number, Dedoimedo, you may ask? This is based on the weight of Windows XP (45%) versus Windows 7 (40%) market share, with an average infection rate of Windows 7 being approximately half that of Windows XP. Therefore, if we reduce the Windows XP global install base by about 50%, which is the natural attrition that happened in the past 3-4 years, following the release of the successor Microsoft operating systems, then we should be seeing an average reduction in malware by about 25%.

But the security companies seem to disagree with this. They claim that malware is ON THE RISE. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I repeat that. They say that malware is on the rise. For your pleasure and convenience, here are some links to external reports. Do note I chose the resources fairly randomly, after searching online, so do browse and use the data at your own discretion. Here's one: Exponential growth in malware.

What to do after Windows XP dies in April 2014?

And here's the big one. What do you do if you stay with XP as it is, regardless of all these other considerations? How can you guarantee that your machine remains safe and secure, even if you do not run any new updates and patches?

Well, first, the whole security thingie is way too much blown out of proportion, especially by companies selling relevant products. They are worried about the security of your shi ... I mean stuff, but you need not be.

How to maintain good security

There's a lot of great security practices you can try to make your XP withstand the molestation attempts from without. One, firewall. Two, limited account and group policies. Three, there's an awesome program called SuRun, which employs the sudo mechanism for Linux. Four, EMET, the best Microsoft product ever, will make you tougher than a medieval virgin with an iron maiden.

I still suspect that the posited vulnerabilities of XP are not unlike some of those scary headlines about pharmaceutical studies, reporting how Drug X "increases the risk of condition Y by 33%," when the actual, raw risk has increased from 3 in 1,000,000 to 4 in 1,000,000.

--JorgeA

Edited February 3, 2014 by dencorso
Put key points in bold red to highlight them...

[bphlpt]

I liked his conclusion in the second article:

Windows XP will die, but that does not mean you should panic or do anything drastic. It's all good, relax. For at least several months, you will be fine, without any need for any decisions. You can go in between updates for months, so no exception there.

Then, after you decide what matters to you the most, make the right adjustment, based on the hardware, software or security criteria. You have a lot of options before you. You can try Linux. You can try virtualization. And even if you stay with XP, you have a couple of years of peace, reinforced by some excellent security practices that do not require that you pay money to vampires, or cave in to their fear mongering propaganda. It's not as sinister as they would like you to believe. Much like catching STD in real life. Not a biggie. Have fun, dear fellas.

Now can we please quit worrying about the what-ifs and FUD regarding XP's "death" in two months, and just enjoy whatever OS we want to run and focus on getting it to run the best that it can?

Cheers and Regards

[Guest]

Bravo

[jaclaz]

Now can we please quit worrying about the what-ifs and FUD regarding XP's "death" in two months, and just enjoy whatever OS we want to run and focus on getting it to run the best that it can?

Cheers and Regards

JFYI, someone possibly misunderstood the sense of your post and started worrying about the death of Vista in 2017 :

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170959-use-vista-after-2017/

jaclaz

[Flasche]

The only death I fear unless Microsoft gets its act together is windows 7. If M$ stays metro the death of 7 will mean the death of windows as we know it.

EDIT: what do you guys also think about Microsoft EMET. How good is it if its good?

Edited February 3, 2014 by Flasche

[dencorso]

Now can we please quit worrying about the what-ifs and FUD regarding XP's "death" in two months, and just enjoy whatever OS we want to run and focus on getting it to run the best that it can?

JFYI, someone possibly misunderstood the sense of your post and started worrying about the death of Vista in 2017 : http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170959-use-vista-after-2017/

[JorgeA]

The only death I fear unless Microsoft gets its act together is windows 7. If M$ stays metro the death of 7 will mean the death of windows as we know it.

EDIT: what do you guys also think about Microsoft EMET. How good is it if its good?

Everybody (including Dedoimedo in the links above) seems to rave about EMET, but our family's experience with it has been much less than stellar. As I wrote back then, "User beware." If only I or if only my wife had had a problem using it, that'd be one thing, but both of us (on separate computers using different versions of Windows) had bad experiences with it.

--JorgeA

[Flasche]

The only death I fear unless Microsoft gets its act together is windows 7. If M$ stays metro the death of 7 will mean the death of windows as we know it.

EDIT: what do you guys also think about Microsoft EMET. How good is it if its good?

Everybody (including Dedoimedo in the links above) seems to rave about EMET, but our family's experience with it has been much less than stellar. As I wrote back then, "User beware." If only I or if only my wife had had a problem using it, that'd be one thing, but both of us (on separate computers using different versions of Windows) had bad experiences with it.

--JorgeA

Hmm interesting mixed feelings huh. Alright I guess I'll give it a try and see which team I'll be on.

[JorgeA]

Hmm interesting mixed feelings huh. Alright I guess I'll give it a try and see which team I'll be on.

An intriguing security possibility that's emerged in the last few months is the Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit (more info here). It's still at the beta stage and I'm not sure if they will charge for it when it comes out of beta, but I have it on three machines and haven't had a problem with the current version. (An earlier one had a bug that affected the opening of Word documents.) If I have to pay for this product, I will seriously consider buying it.

--JorgeA

Edited February 5, 2014 by JorgeA

[Guest]

I just installed EMET and everything I've added so far works except for Google Chrome. It just hangs. Anyone have it running OK with Chrome?

[Stefan43]

Can I use Windows XP Professional SP3 safe after installing all the POSReady updates? So that I can go to Facebook, YouTube, Outlook mail etc?