XP Death - How to happily move on and what options you have
Windows XP will be discontinued starting from April 2014 and this opens tricky scenarios for individual users and companies because XP still represents a relevant percentage of Windows-based computer around the world.
Though Microsoft will update anti-malware definitions through mid-July 2015, it will release no further updates for the operating system. This means bugs, vulnerabilities and exploits will not be fixed any longer and implies potential high liability risks for companies in case of security breaches or data loss.
Luckily there are several upgrade alternatives available.
1 – Windows 7: it's somehow the most natural choice, as it represents an evolution of Windows XP and is very similar in terms of general look and configuration. It can run on the same hardware, if it meets the minimum requirements (1 GB or faster processor, 1 GB RAM memory, or 2 GB for 64 bit versions, DirectX 9 device with WDOM 1.0 or higher driver). You can download Microsoft’s Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to evaluate your system and understand if you can upgrade. In this regard you need to consider, though, that a minimum configuration doesn't guarantee high-level performance but only the minimum necessary to run the operating system. If you have 1 GB RAM you may want to consider upgrading your RAM, as programs and hardware implementations are becoming more and more demanding in terms of system resources. Windows 7 allows to run Windows XP as a virtual machine (Windows XP mode) or to use Compatibility Mode, which applies to older drivers and applications the same settings implemented under Windows XP. Virtualization can be a good solution to run legacy applications while migrating to the new operating system. A very useful measurement of the performance of Windows operating system is Windows Experience Index. It's a number expressing the overall performance of your computer, ranging from 1.0 to 7.9, determined by calculating the specific score for several hardware component categories (processor, RAM memory, graphics, gaming graphics, primary hard disk) and it's equal to the lowest sub-score. For more details, see my previous post about it.
2- Windows 8.1: It supports the latest applications and implementations allowing to run older software at the same time. If users are familiar with mobile apps and touchscreen, they'll live the transition without relevant shocks and they'll be enjoy the new tile interface. On the other hand, the new Windows version requires a certain training time to users accustomed to older Windows versions, because it represents a break with the way we all were used to utilize Microsoft operating system. Though the most recent updates seem to somehow go back to the past (to address the pressing requests of several individual and corporate users disappointed and confused by the tile interface, a.ka. Metro), Windows 8.1 works much better with a touchscreen (see my post for details). Purchasing a new computer is the ideal solution for this operating system.
2 – Mac OS X Mavericks: Apple computers are becoming more and more popular and major software companies develop applications both for Windows and Mac. What's more, there are several emulators such as Parallels Desktop, Boot Camp and Virtual Box allowing to install and run Windows and Windows programs on a Mac. The only problem you need to take into consideration can be hardware compatibility, as some hardware device works only on Windows or on Mac. MacOSX is a very stable operating system and pretty user-friendly but it may be necessary a certain learning curve for users not already familiar with Apple operating system, because there are several major differences with Windows. In this regard, you can read my my previous post Mac guide for dummies for more details.
3 – Linux: The Penguin can be a valid solution for very tech savvy individuals or companies. Its open-source nature makes it an ideal solution for working environments where transparency and cooperation are very important and it's totally free so it can allow companies to slash operating costs for licenses.It's a secure operating system, which explains why the most important servers run on Linux. Supporting Linux requires, though, very experienced professionals and can be more expensive for complex corporate implementations than buying a Windows license. For more details on the latest Linux Ubuntu version, have a look at my post about it.
4 – Chrome OS: Chromebooks have become an interesting option for individuals and corporate environments where only online applications are needed. As both personal and corporate activities are increasingly performed online it makes sense because this way all of the users need is a web browser. Though latest Chromebooks versions ensure a wider support to off-line applications, this is the philosophy behind Chrome OS which justifies the low price of most Chromebooks. For this reason they can be a viable solutions for working environments that don't necessarily need the user to be physically present to perform a job or an activity (e.g. field service technicians).
Though Microsoft will update anti-malware definitions through mid-July 2015, it will release no further updates for the operating system. This means bugs, vulnerabilities and exploits will not be fixed any longer and implies potential high liability risks for companies in case of security breaches or data loss.
Luckily there are several upgrade alternatives available.
1 – Windows 7: it's somehow the most natural choice, as it represents an evolution of Windows XP and is very similar in terms of general look and configuration. It can run on the same hardware, if it meets the minimum requirements (1 GB or faster processor, 1 GB RAM memory, or 2 GB for 64 bit versions, DirectX 9 device with WDOM 1.0 or higher driver). You can download Microsoft’s Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to evaluate your system and understand if you can upgrade. In this regard you need to consider, though, that a minimum configuration doesn't guarantee high-level performance but only the minimum necessary to run the operating system. If you have 1 GB RAM you may want to consider upgrading your RAM, as programs and hardware implementations are becoming more and more demanding in terms of system resources. Windows 7 allows to run Windows XP as a virtual machine (Windows XP mode) or to use Compatibility Mode, which applies to older drivers and applications the same settings implemented under Windows XP. Virtualization can be a good solution to run legacy applications while migrating to the new operating system. A very useful measurement of the performance of Windows operating system is Windows Experience Index. It's a number expressing the overall performance of your computer, ranging from 1.0 to 7.9, determined by calculating the specific score for several hardware component categories (processor, RAM memory, graphics, gaming graphics, primary hard disk) and it's equal to the lowest sub-score. For more details, see my previous post about it.
2- Windows 8.1: It supports the latest applications and implementations allowing to run older software at the same time. If users are familiar with mobile apps and touchscreen, they'll live the transition without relevant shocks and they'll be enjoy the new tile interface. On the other hand, the new Windows version requires a certain training time to users accustomed to older Windows versions, because it represents a break with the way we all were used to utilize Microsoft operating system. Though the most recent updates seem to somehow go back to the past (to address the pressing requests of several individual and corporate users disappointed and confused by the tile interface, a.ka. Metro), Windows 8.1 works much better with a touchscreen (see my post for details). Purchasing a new computer is the ideal solution for this operating system.
2 – Mac OS X Mavericks: Apple computers are becoming more and more popular and major software companies develop applications both for Windows and Mac. What's more, there are several emulators such as Parallels Desktop, Boot Camp and Virtual Box allowing to install and run Windows and Windows programs on a Mac. The only problem you need to take into consideration can be hardware compatibility, as some hardware device works only on Windows or on Mac. MacOSX is a very stable operating system and pretty user-friendly but it may be necessary a certain learning curve for users not already familiar with Apple operating system, because there are several major differences with Windows. In this regard, you can read my my previous post Mac guide for dummies for more details.
3 – Linux: The Penguin can be a valid solution for very tech savvy individuals or companies. Its open-source nature makes it an ideal solution for working environments where transparency and cooperation are very important and it's totally free so it can allow companies to slash operating costs for licenses.It's a secure operating system, which explains why the most important servers run on Linux. Supporting Linux requires, though, very experienced professionals and can be more expensive for complex corporate implementations than buying a Windows license. For more details on the latest Linux Ubuntu version, have a look at my post about it.
4 – Chrome OS: Chromebooks have become an interesting option for individuals and corporate environments where only online applications are needed. As both personal and corporate activities are increasingly performed online it makes sense because this way all of the users need is a web browser. Though latest Chromebooks versions ensure a wider support to off-line applications, this is the philosophy behind Chrome OS which justifies the low price of most Chromebooks. For this reason they can be a viable solutions for working environments that don't necessarily need the user to be physically present to perform a job or an activity (e.g. field service technicians).
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