Windows 7 Users Are Left With One Year Before The OS Self Destructs

Ok, that headline is louder than it needs to be. But seriously, if you are still using Windows 7, now might be as good a time as any to know that support for the ageing OS is ending in a year’s time. That makes the software a ticking time bomb…

Microsoft is ending support for the software in January 2020, which will make Windows 7 almost 11 years old at its time of death. The software won’t cease to work after support has ended but you will wish it had if you continue using the OS after this period. Why?

Security, security…

Well, Windows 7 is still hugely popular. In fact, Windows 10 only recently passed Windows 7 in number of users and now sits at 39.2% whilst the legacy software is slightly behind at 36%. That means millions of users are still using the software (don’t ask me why) and the fact that there are still millions of people using the software essentially means there could be some security trouble for users who refuse to upgrade. Why? Well, there are millions of people still worth targeting, it seems.

When Windows releases a new OS, they support it for years with upgrades and they patch out exploits and vulnerabilities that could be used to the detriment of users. When support ends all existing and yet to be discovered exploits are no longer going to be patched out which means from the moment support ends the list of exploits continues to grow and there are high risks for users who choose to stay the course. Potentially your computer could be crippled and your data is at risk too. It’s pretty similar to how anti-virus software works, you constantly have to update the anti-virus because exploiters are coming up with new virus quite often. This means if you’re using your computer to store any sensitive data, articles like this one should serve as a cease and desist order if you’re running a Windows 7.

Seriously, just upgrade

Yuhp, we all know Windows 8 was kind of a freak show that made people hesitant to upgrade but Windows 10 is great (for me at least). And another thing to consider with Windows 10 is that Microsoft has promised that support for Windows 10 will never end, thus if you’re not a fan of upgrades you can take comfort in the fact that this might be your last upgrade…

Back in October, Windows 10 was still available to install for free and downloading and installing the OS was not a problem unless you were already using an unlicensed version of the software. Why is Windows being so generous with the OS they used to sell for high-prices? Well, they are moving to adopt a Software as a Service (SaaS) approach and getting you in the door and then milking you after you’ve entered is their goal nowadays, instead of milking you by the door.

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