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Microsoft officially ends support for Windows 7 today, so it might be time to upgrade

Why did Windows 8 suck so hard?

Windows 10 updates
Image: Microsoft

It’s a month until Valentine’s Day, which is supposed to be one of the most romantic days of the year. It’s fitting then, that today — January 14th — is the saddest day of the year. It’s the day that Microsoft is officially ending its product support for Windows 7.

That means no more security updates. So while Josiah will be masturbating through tears in 30 days, some of us are shedding a single one as we reluctantly update our computers to Windows 10. Both enterprise and home versions of the classic operating system (released October 2009) will be left out in the cold.

Microsoft, naturally, is quick to suggest simply buying a new computer, which kind of makes sense. I’m running Windows 7 on a single, antiquated laptop and I know that Windows 10 would likely brick the GPU and there’s no point in upgrading to Windows 8 because that was straight trash.

And Windows 9 doesn’t exist.

Some are calling the death of Windows 7 the end of the PC era and that’s just deep-fried malarkey. While Windows 10 is a much more touchscreen and tablet-friendly OS, it feels like anyone declaring that is also trying to sell me a new 2-in-1 laptop.

If you are caught out in the cold on this, then you haven’t been paying attention

Microsoft has been pushing upgrades to Windows 10 since it existed and has been warning users that support for Windows 7 would eventually end. They just didn’t want to believe it. Support for Windows 8 ended in 2016, XP in 2014, so Windows 7 users thought maybe, maybe they’d survive.

So, of course, they skipped the free upgrade window when Windows 10 hit the market back in 2015. Which means upgrading now would cost about $139. With a third of Windows users still using Windows 7, that could be a nice upgrade payday for Microsoft. If Windows 7 users actually upgrade that is. Sure, there won’t be any new patches or malware updates, but that doesn’t mean the OS will just cease to work.

It just means it’ll be the most unsafe OS being used. There really is no way to keep it secure when Microsoft stops pushing security updates. It’s like getting into a car after someone cut out the seat-belts and the driver’s seat is stuck all the way back. Sure, the car will run but do you want to drive it?

One of the better options for Windows 7 users isn’t switching to Windows 10, but switching to Linux. You’ll never have to spend your morning pacing around while your PC runs Windows security updates. Linux has that security and stability built-in, and Microsoft is finally developing Office apps for Linux desktops.

Whatever you do, do it before your PC becomes a hive of scum and villainy. With a third of the world’s Windows-based PCs running Windows 7, it will take as long as a mildly warmed up Hot Pocket to ooze onto the plate for malware scammers to target these now vulnerable PCs. You could scoff, but think about it.

Microsoft hasn’t been quiet about this, it has been loud about Windows 7 support ending because your Windows 7 PC will be at risk

Don’t be that one stubborn person logging on to the company network from a Windows 7 PC bogged down with malware and trojans.

Yes, Windows 7 was probably the best OS from Microsoft ever. Windows 10 doesn’t even come close. I still use 2010 office apps because the later versions just have too much UI, too much crap on the screen. Windows 10 felt like that for a while.

It felt like I was using a tablet on the PC. The first iteration was straight wet garbage. It’s gotten better. If you know run commands, you’ll have no problem getting used to Windows 10. Everything is still there. You can still get to Administrative Tools. Stop whining.

Or you can upgrade to Linux. Or buy a new PC. Whatever you do, stop using an insecure OS. Windows 7 is dead. It’s time to load it onto a canoe, push it out into the river and shoot a flaming arrow into its stomach. It’s done. It had a good run, we’ll miss it, but it’s time to move on. Death is always hard, but in the end, there is acceptance and whether it’s Windows 10 or Linux, we’ll accept the inevitable upgrade. There’s no other choice.

What do you think? Have you made the switch to Windows 10 already or will you roll the dice? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Defunct writer. Exhausted. Ephemeral existence for ephemeral times. Don't email me.

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