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I still use Win 7 - in fact I still use Win 7 with an XP skin, because I have been less than impressed by Microsoft's subsequent offerings (and even less so when it means some of my software doesn't work). To make this worse, SWMBO the technophobe also "uses" Win 7 (because that's what I set up on her laptop) and so any changes really need to be minimal.

So the End of Life for Win 7 in January is a massive PITA .... and I still haven't decided what to do. Linux (Mint maybe...) seemed an option, but I have no experience of it and it doesn't feel like something to jump into in a hurry. Then I've read about using Windows emulators within some Linux shells, or even leaving a Win 7 partition for offline use only - but again.... the proof of the pudding is in the eating and I really don't fancy battling through such issues in a rush.

Then, just as I'm starting to panic about the approaching end-date, I get a nice little email from TalkTalk today, telling me of "Important changes to your TalkTalk email service". Now I run three separate accounts, but the backstop (sorry ) is an old lineone account from when it was one of the first "free" email accounts - run by BT when I got it back in the days of the dinosaur. Then it moved on to AOL, then Tiscali and finally to TalkTalk. So there's a lot of history there.

What's TalkTalk's big news?...... oh, just to say that as of January you'll have to pay £50 a year to keep access.....

So, today has been spent re-establishing Thunderbird in order to "back up" all the existing emails and changing the defaults on a lot of sites...... but then there are all the other people/companies who have that old ID logged, but use it rarely - even all the cards I've handed out in Portugal over the last few years.

Aaaaaargh! bloody technology companies and their bloody monetizing!!

....and breathe

I feel your pain and that is why we went to hotmail after changing broadband provider and losing the email addy. Did not use it much in those days when the only connection available to us was dial up. Now that is a real ouch but it was better than when I had to send some of my market research interviews back to the office. Cannot remember the letters but our dial up broadband was up to 50. When I was sending stuff back to the office it was 9 but we were happily using and Amstrad computer so no internet for us.

And yes, I did have to lug around a laptop and connecting cable in case battery died which weighed 14lbs but did not get paid any more for the times I had to use the laptop than I did when all I had to carry was a few bits of paper.

I came to the conclusion that whether or not you like changes, you have to keep up. Maybe not be an early adopter, but also not late. The pain is less if you take it earlier.

blythburgh wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 08 2019 10:10am

I feel your pain and that is why we went to hotmail after changing broadband provider and losing the email addy.

Same here - Windows Live mail is still available https://www.intowindows.com/download-wi ... indows-10/

I only got round to moving from XP to Win7 3 years ago, when I upgraded all the hardware in my PC. Win7 isn't too different to XP, and I like it.

I really hate Win10, and it'll be a long time before I move away from Win7.

Rather than automatically updating Windows, I always elect for notifications, and I've noticed updates coming through on almost a daily basis recently. I guess there's a lot of preparation going on before they pull the plug. A real shame.

I still have an XP box which I use now and again, as it drives my old printer, which doesn't have drivers for Win7. It also has some old software that doesn't run on Win7. I've been using it this week, to clone some bigger HDDs for my main Win7 box.

I was looking at a mag in WH Smiths today (can't remember which one) - it had an article on continued use of Win 7 and suggested that the risks of running unsupported were exaggerated - IF you took certain precautions. The mag cost £4.50.... not sure whether the advice justifies the cost, but it had a couple of pages of hints.....

pabenny wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 08 2019 11:34am

I came to the conclusion that whether or not you like changes, you have to keep up. Maybe not be an early adopter, but also not late. The pain is less if you take it earlier.

I vehemently disagree - both vista and Win 8 were disastrous, so being an "early adopter" would just have caused pain. Win 10 is different, but I hate it's interface and the lack of control over updates, etc. - plus the fact that much of the software I use would be incompatible and I have no intention of paying more to get less.

macliam wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 09 2019 3:29am

I was looking at a mag in WH Smiths today (can't remember which one) - it had an article on continued use of Win 7 and suggested that the risks of running unsupported were exaggerated - IF you took certain precautions. The mag cost £4.50.... not sure whether the advice justifies the cost, but it had a couple of pages of hints.....

Sorry for answering my own post - but I have now found out the mag concerned was Computer Shopper, Jan 2020 edition (but available now!).

You can get 3 issues of the magazine for £1 https://subscribe.computershopper.co.uk/ and if you sign up for the online (or online+print) deal, you will be able to access the magazine online immediately at https://magazine.computershopper.co.uk/. (Just remember to cancel your subscription before the end date!)

Here's what will happen to your Windows 7 PC on January 15, 2020 https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-wha ... 4534207838

expressman33 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 11 2019 5:42pm

Here's what will happen to your Windows 7 PC on January 15, 2020 https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-wha ... 4534207838

Well, par for the course for MS - but hardly a problem. First appearance of the nag screen, click "Don't Remind Me Again" and continue......