Where can you go next after Windows
XP?
Summary: You need to get ready now for the post-Windows XP
world. Drew Turney looks at the options.
By Drew Turney |
October 14, 2013 -- 01:30 GMT (18:30 PDT)
On the surface, it
seems that Windows 7 or 8 are the obvious choices to replace XP systems simply
because of the technologies, behaviour, and application compatibility you'll
carry forward, but there's more to consider about other systems and your own
needs.
Staying with
Windows XP
First of all, if
you use Windows, you'll always be a target of malware — one day Windows 7 and
8, along with Android and Mac OS X, will be similarly targeted because malware
creators are looking for the best return on their investment, just like you
are.
Second of all, the
end of Windows XP support doesn't mean your computer will explode. But if any
new bugs for XP come out after April 2014, you're on your own. According to a
report by the Information Systems Security Associations, 38 percent of
computers still use Windows XP.
Association chapter
president Stan Stahl claims cybercriminals are saving up Windows XP holes to
exploit after it knows Windows won't fix them, leaving you more vulnerable.
"Lots of
computers are going to get hit with viruses in those months after," said
Jeff Bolden, managing partner of data conversation and system integration
provider Blue Lotus SIDC.
Fujitsu North
America's senior director of end-user services Nicholas Lee agrees, saying that
eventually, Windows XP will be "infected or otherwise impacted, and the
cost to [fix] issues will be far more costly and detrimental".
Threats
communications manger at Trend Micro Christopher Budd went further. "It
really is best for people to be off of Windows XP by April 2014," he said.
"Even if it means you turn off your computer and don't use another until
you get a new one."
Still, some users
might have old peripherals or software they can't upgrade and can't do without
because of a discontinued product line or a long-gone developer. The best
approach is to use your XP system as a stand-alone base of operations for that
process and nothing else. Unplug it from the internet and lock it down so it
stays that way. Move data on or off it using an external disk or CD, and start
looking seriously for another workflow to replace the tool you think you can't
do without.
The systems gulf
Getting used to a
new system is a cost just as much as buying it, according to technical director
of IT provider Akita Adrian Case.
"If you're
going to migrate to Windows 7, there'll be a shallow learning curve, but if you
adopt Windows 8, that curve is steeper while you grapple with the new user
interface," he said.
Application
compatibility is another big deal. You'll have fewer issues moving from XP to
Windows 7 than if you went from XP to Windows 8. Windows XP applications worked
in Windows 7 thanks to compatibility technology, but moving to Windows 8 will
mean more time testing.
It's not as big a
problem as it seems — the days where UNIX ran databases, Macs did graphics
software, and Windows ran office productivity tools are far behind us. Speaking
of which, the users of Mac, Linux, and other systems will talk up their
relative benefits all day long, but, as Budd explained, the real weak link
won't be computer based.
"The biggest
downside, especially for non-technical people, is that real security is
directly related to how familiar you are with what you're using," he said.
Plus, other systems
come with different costs. Despite being an OSX user himself, Bolden said
Apple's faster upgrade cycle and more expensive hardware can be prohibitive.
"The kind of person on XP at the end of 2013 will find Apple's much more
rapid forced upgrades vastly less pleasant," he said.
And while Linux is
of course free, the time taken to learn a whole new system and new
applications, very few of which are found in the commercial software world,
certainly won't be.
Windows 7
If you're committed
to staying in the Windows world because of software requirements or just
sticking with what you know, Windows 7 looks and behaves like Windows XP and
it's also cheaper.
Again, Microsoft's
advice is to go to Windows 8, pointing out that Windows 7 is already
four-year-old technology. If your hardware's also that old, you can't take
advantage of the latest that computing can offer, and Windows 8 is more closely
stitched to the hardware it runs on when it comes to security and performance.
But Fujitsu North
America's senior director of end-user services, Nicholas Lee, said you
shouldn't overlook Windows 7 just yet.
"Windows 8 is
good, but it's not for everyone," he said. "Enterprises are more
stable today and will find more interoperability on Windows 7."
Depending on your
level of tech expertise, sticking with Windows will reduce the compatibility
and re-skilling burden. You certainly won't be left behind moving to Windows 7
rather than Windows 8, so here's our advice.
Dip your toe in the
water of Windows 8 and use it on non-essential systems for non-essential tasks.
Get a feel for it at your own pace, and when Microsoft stops Windows 7 support
or you find you really need a Windows 8-only application, you'll be ready.
Where can you go next after Windows
XP?
Summary: You need to get ready now for the post-Windows XP
world. Drew Turney looks at the options.
By Drew Turney |
October 14, 2013 -- 01:30 GMT (18:30 PDT)
On the surface, it
seems that Windows 7 or 8 are the obvious choices to replace XP systems simply
because of the technologies, behaviour, and application compatibility you'll
carry forward, but there's more to consider about other systems and your own
needs.
Staying with
Windows XP
First of all, if
you use Windows, you'll always be a target of malware — one day Windows 7 and
8, along with Android and Mac OS X, will be similarly targeted because malware
creators are looking for the best return on their investment, just like you
are.
Second of all, the
end of Windows XP support doesn't mean your computer will explode. But if any
new bugs for XP come out after April 2014, you're on your own. According to a
report by the Information Systems Security Associations, 38 percent of
computers still use Windows XP.
Association chapter
president Stan Stahl claims cybercriminals are saving up Windows XP holes to
exploit after it knows Windows won't fix them, leaving you more vulnerable.
"Lots of
computers are going to get hit with viruses in those months after," said
Jeff Bolden, managing partner of data conversation and system integration
provider Blue Lotus SIDC.
Fujitsu North
America's senior director of end-user services Nicholas Lee agrees, saying that
eventually, Windows XP will be "infected or otherwise impacted, and the
cost to [fix] issues will be far more costly and detrimental".
Threats
communications manger at Trend Micro Christopher Budd went further. "It
really is best for people to be off of Windows XP by April 2014," he said.
"Even if it means you turn off your computer and don't use another until
you get a new one."
Still, some users
might have old peripherals or software they can't upgrade and can't do without
because of a discontinued product line or a long-gone developer. The best
approach is to use your XP system as a stand-alone base of operations for that
process and nothing else. Unplug it from the internet and lock it down so it
stays that way. Move data on or off it using an external disk or CD, and start
looking seriously for another workflow to replace the tool you think you can't
do without.
The systems gulf
Getting used to a
new system is a cost just as much as buying it, according to technical director
of IT provider Akita Adrian Case.
"If you're
going to migrate to Windows 7, there'll be a shallow learning curve, but if you
adopt Windows 8, that curve is steeper while you grapple with the new user
interface," he said.
Application
compatibility is another big deal. You'll have fewer issues moving from XP to
Windows 7 than if you went from XP to Windows 8. Windows XP applications worked
in Windows 7 thanks to compatibility technology, but moving to Windows 8 will
mean more time testing.
It's not as big a
problem as it seems — the days where UNIX ran databases, Macs did graphics
software, and Windows ran office productivity tools are far behind us. Speaking
of which, the users of Mac, Linux, and other systems will talk up their
relative benefits all day long, but, as Budd explained, the real weak link
won't be computer based.
"The biggest
downside, especially for non-technical people, is that real security is
directly related to how familiar you are with what you're using," he said.
Plus, other systems
come with different costs. Despite being an OSX user himself, Bolden said
Apple's faster upgrade cycle and more expensive hardware can be prohibitive.
"The kind of person on XP at the end of 2013 will find Apple's much more
rapid forced upgrades vastly less pleasant," he said.
And while Linux is
of course free, the time taken to learn a whole new system and new
applications, very few of which are found in the commercial software world,
certainly won't be.
Windows 7
If you're committed
to staying in the Windows world because of software requirements or just
sticking with what you know, Windows 7 looks and behaves like Windows XP and
it's also cheaper.
Again, Microsoft's
advice is to go to Windows 8, pointing out that Windows 7 is already
four-year-old technology. If your hardware's also that old, you can't take
advantage of the latest that computing can offer, and Windows 8 is more closely
stitched to the hardware it runs on when it comes to security and performance.
But Fujitsu North
America's senior director of end-user services, Nicholas Lee, said you
shouldn't overlook Windows 7 just yet.
"Windows 8 is
good, but it's not for everyone," he said. "Enterprises are more
stable today and will find more interoperability on Windows 7."
Depending on your
level of tech expertise, sticking with Windows will reduce the compatibility
and re-skilling burden. You certainly won't be left behind moving to Windows 7
rather than Windows 8, so here's our advice.
Dip your toe in the
water of Windows 8 and use it on non-essential systems for non-essential tasks.
Get a feel for it at your own pace, and when Microsoft stops Windows 7 support
or you find you really need a Windows 8-only application, you'll be ready.
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