What Happens When Windows 7 DIES?

[HiFlyer 9,343]

 

[Bob Scott 7,716]

It goes to OS heaven?

[Cruachan 705]

18 hours ago, w6kd said:

It goes to OS heaven?

I very much doubt it, at least not quite yet, since MS have just announced DirectX 12 is being made available for Windows 7!! Can’t say I’m at all surprised as it is still the most popular O/S. What’s the betting we’ll be hearing next that they have had a change of heart and decided to extend support beyond Jan 2020. Windows 10 may have the technical edge, but there is no escaping the fact that Windows 7, for many, remains the O/S of choice.

I haven’t provided any links as a quick search will soon reveal the relevant articles on this subject.

Mike

 

[G-RFRY 1,708]

Microsoft will extend support for W7 if you pay for it after jan 2020 as some corporate users may take up the offer, but the latest is now showing home users on W10 past over 50% the rest is made up of W7 W8.

[fppilot 4,352]

iTunes music of that era dies with it!

 

[Cruachan 705]

8 hours ago, rjfry said:

Microsoft will extend support for W7 if you pay for it after jan 2020 as some corporate users may take up the offer, but the latest is now showing home users on W10 past over 50% the rest is made up of W7 W8.

Hi Raymond,

Well, we will have to wait and see. If nothing else, MS remain as unpredictable as ever and the goal posts may yet change. Also, I did say that Windows 7 is still the most popular O/S out there, if you exclude consoles, tablets and phones, and this is including the expansive gaming community. Why else would MS decide to make DIrectX 12 available for Windows 7 die hards?

in terms of end users, then, of course, you are correct Windows 10 is currently leading the field. However, these numbers do not reflect the willingness of users to adopt Windows 10 as evidenced by tales of increasing numbers who are electing to go back to Windows 7. I suspect MS have accepted they still have a hill to climb as, quite clearly, their attempts at coercion have failed and there remains quite a lot of resentment out there surrounding their somewhat dubious tactics. It’s now time for mending bridges and offering DirectX 12 for Windows 7 may be forming part of that refreshing scenario. Also, it gives the lie to the previous assertion that it could not be done. Nothing is impossible in the digital world; all it needs is motivation, finance and manpower.

Doubtless the movement towards the adoption of Windows 10 will progress commensurate with ongoing positive development. However, if manufacturers are not persuaded to continue their support for Windows 7 then growing hardware incompatibilities will accelerate the demise of this trusted and venerable operating system whether we like it or not.

Regards,

Mike

 

[Cruachan 705]

As I see it, this could turn out to be Microsoft’s belated attempt to counter those forces currently moving forward strongly under the banner ‘VULKAN’.

Vulkan cross platform compatibility is the key. Clearly the attractive lucrative potential is not lost on gaming software houses who are, in increasing numbers, deciding to favour adoption of development under this now mature API rather than Microsoft’s collection of DirectX 12 APIs which have been restricted to Windows 10.

I think this is simply a case of irresistible forces being brought to bear on that hitherto irresistible object, Microsoft. It may be no exaggeration to suggest that their medium to long-term revenues, and hence survivability, could be at risk as nowadays the competition out there is fierce.

Mike.

[G-RFRY 1,708]

I understand were your coming from, but as we know in 10 years or less W10 will be the only OS Microsoft have, even W10 will just be security updates for life after the final build and Microsoft will most likely create software addons for W10 like office now, and will be subscription software in that you never own the product, most in the industry think this will be the future of PC software and games and internet connection will be a must.

[Cruachan 705]

3 hours ago, rjfry said:

I understand were your coming from, but as we know in 10 years or less W10 will be the only OS Microsoft have, even W10 will just be security updates for life after the final build and Microsoft will most likely create software addons for W10 like office now, and will be subscription software in that you never own the product, most in the industry think this will be the future of PC software and games and internet connection will be a must.

Ah, while you’re predictions are almost certainly correct, it’s the here and now and also possibly the next 3-5 years we are mostly concerned about. The ‘problem’ for Microsoft is current hardware is more than capable of fulfilling end user needs for several years ahead. Windows 7 continues to satisfy and, for gamers, it’s likely that Vulkan will make it unnecessary, at least in the short term, to make the jump to Windows 10. If Microsoft do not react by continuing partial support for Windows 7, including the provision of DirectX 12, then their income stream will suffer.

Quite a few have derided the suggestion that we would ever see DirectX 12 in Windows 7. Assuming the reports that this is happening are indeed correct then the drivers for Microsoft’s change of heart must have been both fiscal and a reluctant acceptance of the inevitable.

Regards,

Mike

 

 

[G-RFRY 1,708]

How will there income stream suffer were is the income to support the cost of continuing updating W7, yes present hardware supports W7 but intel are getting ready to drop support for W7, this will reduce your future upgrade path for your sim.

Edited March 17, 2019 by rjfry

[Cruachan 705]

3 hours ago, rjfry said:

How will there income stream suffer were is the income to support the cost of continuing updating W7, yes present hardware supports W7 but intel are getting ready to drop support for W7, this will reduce your future upgrade path for your sim.

Hi Raymond,

Ha,ha, you got me there! To be honest I don’t really know other than make assumptions that Microsoft will always only react in ways that generate the greatest profit. Initially I understand that elements of DirectX 12 will only be made available to Windows 7 on a game-by-game basis. The first game to benefit is WoW and others are in the pipeline. More than likely money has been changing hands as part of appeasing power houses like Blizzard Entertainment who have asked Microsoft to make this possible.

My sim requirements are already future proofed 😉. Take a look at my signature: P3D 4.x is covered effectively under Windows 7. Windows 10 is waiting for P3D V5. Vulkan is planned for X-Plane (currently installed under Windows 7) and Aerofly FS2 is already enjoying that API under Windows 7. So long as my trusty i7-5960X does not fail, I should be good for a few more years yet with my current hardware. Also, canny misguided soul that I am (lol), I have backup replacements for my MoBo and its BIOS chips!

Regards,

Mike

[Luke 782]

On 3/17/2019 at 8:11 AM, Cruachan said:

I think this is simply a case of irresistible forces being brought to bear on that hitherto irresistible object, Microsoft. It may be no exaggeration to suggest that their medium to long-term revenues, and hence survivability, could be at risk as nowadays the competition out there is fierce.

It's not a full port of DX12, it might be on a few, select games and your statement has an amazing amount of hyperbole. Full DX12 requires Windows kernel changes which they're not going to do.

A few years back some people were convinced that support for XP, the greatest version of Windows ever, would go on. Thank goodness that relic is dead.

Cheers!

[Cruachan 705]

1 hour ago, Luke said:

It's not a full port of DX12, it might be on a few, select games and your statement has an amazing amount of hyperbole. Full DX12 requires Windows kernel changes which they're not going to do.

Hi Luke,

I guess we will have to wait and see what transpires. I would imagine the inclusion of elements of DirectX 12 in select games is all that is required to satisfy those interested Windows 7 aficionados.

1 hour ago, Luke said:

A few years back some people were convinced that support for XP, the greatest version of Windows ever, would go on. Thank goodness that relic is dead.

You are comparing apples with oranges here. The situation is quite different in that substantial core elements of Windows 10 mirror those in Windows 7 and, I suspect, this goes a long way towards explaining the attraction for continued usage of the latter operating system. There are sufficient similarities and performance parallels between the two that, for many users, upgrading seems unnecessary at this point. Also, and with respect, none of us knows for certain what Microsoft might do in the months to come.

Don’t overlook the fact that the preferences of the end user frequently differ from those held by the developer or reviewer who usually prefers to restrict his/her available resources to working with one rather than multiple operating systems. If the choice has to be made then, of course, the more current system receiving full ongoing support and technical development will win out in the end.

I do not know what the future holds. I use both Windows 7 and 10 and currently prefer working with the former. Any crumbs of hope offered by Microsoft as additional support for Windows 7 in the short to medium term is to be welcomed. It is a recognition, given however reluctantly, of its continuing solidity and dependability as an operating system that remains capable of working effectively in a modern setting alongside it’s natural successor, Windows 10.

Yes, doubtless you will get your way in the end, but my prediction is that, security arguments aside, the longevity of Windows 7 will far outstrip that of Windows XP and deservedly so.

Regards,

Mike

 

[G-RFRY 1,708]

As far as Microsoft is concerned the future is Windows 10  the only OS they will support into the distant future, all they are waiting for are the corporate users to switch over that's there main focus and money spinner, the home user is less important the gamer they have the game console for that. 

Just been reading Microsoft will release a patch on W7 to remind users that support will stop next year.

Edited March 21, 2019 by rjfry

[betelgeuse 41]

Yes, I got this patch. It goes further though and tells me that in order to run W10 I will need a new PC. How it knows this is beyond me! 

I am running an Ivybridge i7 3.8Ghz 16GB RAM GTX770 4GB with bags of storage on 2HDD and an SSD. It's not supersonic but its fast and runs a big FSX program with Orbx very well.

My understanding has been that W10 has the same minimum requirements as W7. That's the story MS used to peddle to W7 users when W10 came out - so they would not have to buy a new machine! 

Result: I only use MS stuff when I must - FSX, Photoshop.  I moved all my networked PCs and laptops on to Linux two years ago and never looked back. I run X-Plane 11 on Linux on the above PC.

Linux is not difficult. If you wish to try it start with Mint Mate which has a pretty good GUI. You can run it off a USB stick for starters.  Kubuntu is prettier and almost as easy to use.

Edited May 4, 2019 by betelgeuse