Windows 7 – End of an Era
Coming on the heels of the misfire that was Windows Vista, Microsoft really needed to score with their next operating system. Well, Windows 7 scored in a big way when introduced 10 years ago. The extremely popular operating system was a hit with users but will now go end-of-life on January 14th, 2020. This retirement means that existing instances of Windows 7 will no longer receive security and feature updates, making it more vulnerable to security risks. With this said, it is time to start thinking about making the move to Windows 10.
NetAscendant is assisting our customers in upgrading/replacing their existing Windows 7 business machines but recommends that users consider taking action on any home machines that are running Windows 7 as well.
Things to consider in making the move away from Windows 7 are:
Take action
The consequences of staying on Windows 7 could be severe, because vulnerabilities will not be patched and will definitely be exploited by the bad guys.
Don’t fear change
Windows 10 is a great operating system which has a similar feel to Windows 7 with some more modern features. You will like Windows 10 and getting acclimated should be a piece of cake.
Strongly consider obtaining a new computer
It has always been our belief that the best way to handle an operating system upgrade is to pair it with a hardware refresh as the lifecycles are normally consistent. This approach simplifies licensing, limits downtime, and reduces the impact on productivity. Plus, your old computer may not have the horsepower to run Windows 10 anyway.
Enlist help if upgrading
Upgrading your current machine to Windows 10 is a task that requires some computer savvy. If you are not up to the task, you may want to enlist the help of a computer guru. Again, strongly consider a new computer as Windows 10 may not run well on your old machine.
Don’t consider Windows 8
Yes, we have not mentioned the operating system that was released between Windows 7 and Windows 10, the ill-fated and rarely adopted Windows 8. Windows 8 was not that great to begin with and will soon go end-of-life as well. Go straight to Windows 10 and never look back.
The Last Upgrade?
The Windows 10 operating system follows a continuous update model and may last into perpetuity. Could it be the end of the operating system upgrade cycle?