Nice to see THIS little snatch of news : WINXP - Small Reprieve

However, it still will not patch the inherent vulnerabilities in the Operating System code itself. The dangers of running XP after the end of support is not so much viruses and malware, but the aging code which they will no longer keep trying to patch up. The free Microsoft Security Essentials will still get antivirus signatures and some other antivirus programs will still work on XP and will be kept updated for awhile.

Do not let the fact that you can run anti-virus programs on XP lull you into thinking it is safe because it is not.

Click on the link in this blog by Larry Seltzer for more information.

How Long Will 3rd Party Anti-Malware Companies Support XP?

What I'm telling people is that if they have absolutely zero way to get off XP and still need to use the internet to stop using it for any sensitive information at all, eliminate all passwords stored in browsers and to take it off the internet unless absolutely necessary. And back up, back up, back up because your chances of losing everything on it are going to increase.

Absolutely, I even go so far as to disable my NIC on all of my Virtual Machines running older Operating Systems.

I use them sparingly for game playing and that's about it.

I've already taken my XP computer off line and only use it for playing those few games that I can't play on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

Well I wasn't encouraging anyone to "carry on as normal" with XP. I'm not technically proficient enough to ever consider doing anything like that because I know it could be risky.

I just thought it was a very small ray of sunshine ....

Apparently not

Actually, my opinion is that it's a bad thing. So many people are going to think that will make them safe and if they lose everything will wonder why. I only have 2 people who say there is no way they can afford a new computer. I just got another one off it when the computer died a couple of months ago. I told her this ancient system did her a favor! She is blissfully happy with her brand new Windows 7 computer.

I would say that Microsoft providing updates for Security Essentials is good news for those with XP who still want to connect to the Internet occasionally (for example, to install and activate a Big Fish game). I wouldn't want to use an XP computer for browsing the Internet, however if you disable scripting (e.g. by using NoScript) you can block a lot of potential infections even before an antivirus could block them.

Of course the safest computers are those that are never online and never have questionable files from the Internet added by USB or DVD or a home network -- and that goes for computers with newer OS as well as XP. Want to use XP for games? Just disconnect it from the Internet and you won't even need an antivirus.

I thought it was interesting that, according to the article, 30% of desktop PC users are still running Windows XP. That surprised me.

"I would say that Microsoft providing updates for Security Essentials is good news for those with XP who still want to connect to the Internet occasionally (for example, to install and activate a Big Fish game). "

I still use my XP machine LOTS but I only venture onto the internet with it for the very type of thing that Jenny100 mentions. [As per the quote.] And I wouldn't even do that if it didn't have an excellent firewall.

Was just sent another interesting bit of published Microsoft news - Win8 this time ....

Microsoft intends to cut its losses on Windows 8, the latest version of the software that runs the majority of the world's computers, jettisoning the brand in an attempt to appease millions of disgruntled users.
Industry sources believe that the world's biggest software company will announce a new operating system, codenamed "Threshold", in April.
It is understood that ultimately Microsoft will call the system Windows 9 — a move, nonetheless, away from the Windows 8 brand that executives believe has become irreparably damaged by poor sales and scathing customer reviews. The company will also make changes to the system's design and functionality. It will go on sale in 2015, far earlier than many anticipated.

And another opinion...

Windows 9 is Coming

While it remains to be seen, I think they will continue on the path towards their goal of making the experience on all your devices - laptop, desktop, tablet, phone - seamless. I have to say I absolutely loved the fact that I could log into my Microsoft account and have all the apps on my new Surface set up and waiting for me. And there are plenty of cloud apps out there, but a document I created in Word on my Surface during a meeting could be grabbed from my Sky Drive for further editing on my desktop at home. I took my Surface to the final meeting, made some changes, came home and printed the document from my Surface on my wireless printer.

Who knows where it will all end up, but I'm kind of enjoying the ride! Bring on Windows 9!

I can appreciate your enthusiasm, Draclvr. You are a "techie enabled" person

I, however, am not.
And whilst I might be proficient in other fields, I find computer system innovations absolute trials to get to grips with !!

And these articles don't express opinions of mine. They are just articles forwarded to me by a friend who likes to keep himself (and me) informed - and which I have chosen to pass on here at Gameboomers.

All I want is a "simple to understand and use" system intended for a desktop machine.
And not a version of one that was initially designed for handheld gadgets

Gil.

Double thumbs up from me too!

IMHO, it still comes back to need. As you explained Drac, what you can do with it is great for you. But there are many others who don't need, or want, that type of setup. It's as I tell people about smartphones, I don't have the need to buy one, so I don't want to lose the plain old cell phone I have simply because a company wants everyone to have smartphones.

I don't begrudge anyone having a tablet, or laptop, just that I and others don't have a need to invest in them. I have the same feeling about MS coming up with newer and newer OSs. Eventually, if I want to do anything on the computer, and do it safely, I will have to upgrade because what I'm using will no longer be supported. And other sites will have upgraded to ensure proper use of that new OS, which effectively eliminates the OS I'd be using at that time.

Couldn't agree more, Homer. People wail and gnash their teeth about this OS and that OS. It's all about what you need. I have a cheap $20 Tracfone because that's all that I need. A friend has an iPad Air because that's what she needs. I am loving all this innovation to give everyone what they need to be productive or to just have fun. I don't find it important at all about what they use to provide that experience.

Mad

I cried when I couldn't get windows 98 anymore....I cried because of windows XP also.. But I download a lot of games , and to keep a system up, and running because of the OS system would be not good at all, especially when you know security risks are high.

As far as gadgets...I have a cheap 20.00 cell phone you pay as you need it..Because that's all I need...

The computer I got with windows 7 is what I need for games, and internet surfing..

By the way.... Windows 7 is "Super"

I still use Windows 98 -- just not online.

I kept my XP also....But I have no room for all the systems, so I put it away in the closet..

My computer with windows 98 completely was fried I really loved that computer better then XP...

Oh well...

I still use my Win98SE machine almost every day. [No internet access.]
I also use my WinXP machine almost every day. [Occasional internet access.]
My Win7 machine has now had to take over as my most used machine and is my "internet workhorse".
At the moment, these three machines are networked and also linked by a KVM switch. And for me, this is a wonderful arrangement.

However, if I want a continued "wonderful arrangement", I MUST keep up with Microsoft's operating systems because the whole computing world is seemingly geared to run by Microsoft Rules and those rules decree that without their supported operating systems, everything I currently enjoy will eventually become "unavailable" to me .... Including my games.

Because developers too, especially mainstream developers, certainly have to bow to Mighty Microsoft and utilise their latest operating systems if they want their games to reach the biggest markets.