Windows XP RIP - Arrrggghhh!

riclad

i use mint linux, easy to use, similar to windows 7.
I dont bother changing anything,
theres loads of settings, preferences you can change, if you wish.

Download chromium browser, from menu, software centre.
looks identical to chrome windows browser.
I prefer the menu layout of chromium, to firefox .
on a pc with 1gig ram its runs much faster than windows xp.

riclad

I installed mint, then installed chromium browser , i might get another music player.
That,s about all i need .
IF you are concerned about security ,or privacy linux is better than any version of windows .

go to menu,software store, internet, browsers ,
download, install chromium.

catfax

For basics linux is okay, but it doesn't really cater well to Windows power users.

* GUI on linux leaves a lot to be desired, they border from decent to amateurish and also have significant gaps and usability issues compared to what power users on Windows will have become accustomed to over the many years. There is a huge over-reliance on the command line something Windows and OSX banished to IT pros and coders many years ago.

* Installing apps outside of the software centre from Debian distros like Ubuntu/Mint is a colossal pain in the ass, there is a .deb based GUI installer but these are rarely built by application developers and they auto assume anyone who is using linux is a linux guru so here is a ton of command line stuff to do.

The best and by that I mean it feels like it was made by professionals is Elementary (see elementaryos.org) which is an off-shoot of Ubuntu, the UI is easy to use and it is very fast, the team that run it care deeply about the UI though they crib from Apple OSX heavily so that's why it feels like they have their act together compared to other linux distros.

It's still very early days for Elementary but it feels like a more credible OS and I'd recommend it over WinXP if your simply don't want to continue using Windows.

The most popular PC linux OS will be Google Chrome OS once it starts to evolve a bit further past it's cloud roots.

If your sticking to Windows jump to Windows 8.1 don't go with older versions, Win 8.1 has lower system requirements than Win 7 so for an older PC it's a better fit.

riclad

WIN XP is 10 years old, no power user will be using a pc that old.
LINUX is secure ,fast , easy enough to use ,
for web browsing IT usually comes with video player ,music player preinstalled .
AND it runs well on older pcs.
cpu 1.5ghz, ram 500- 1gigabyte.

I presume power users are running windows 8.1 ,or ubuntu or another linux os, already.
MY theory is 80 per cent of users just use pcs, for youtube, music,
web browsing .
And theres plenty of linux distros designed to run on older pcs.
i,m sure if its worth buying windows 8.1 for an older pc.

catfax

Definition of power user on Windows is a bit different to other platforms, basically a step above basic user but not someone who knows Windows inside and out, still plenty of people like that out there using WinXP.

Win power users would never run linux for the reasons I outlined, a large bulk of them are not super techies but like to think they are sort of like your average PC gamer. Any time I've tried to get them to move to linux I've seen the same result over and over, a feeling they are out of their depth and a move back to Windows.

In my experience Ubuntu does not run so well older PC's it's roughly equivalent to Windows 7. Mint is a little better and Elementary beats both easily, other linux distors are so incredibly obscure I would not recommend to anyone other than hardcore linux fans.

Ease of use is definitely not a linux strong point, for occasional computer users with a light bit of internet, word processing it can be okay but anything more and there is a steep learning curve. For those lite users a Google Chromebook is also I'd argue another good alternative option.

mach1982

catfax wrote: »

For basics linux is okay, but it doesn't really cater well to Windows power users.

* GUI on linux leaves a lot to be desired, they border from decent to amateurish and also have significant gaps and usability issues compared to what power users on Windows will have become accustomed to over the many years. There is a huge over-reliance on the command line something Windows and OSX banished to IT pros and coders many years ago.

* Installing apps outside of the software centre from Debian distros like Ubuntu/Mint is a colossal pain in the ass, there is a .deb based GUI installer but these are rarely built by application developers and they auto assume anyone who is using linux is a linux guru so here is a ton of command line stuff to do.

The best and by that I mean it feels like it was made by professionals is Elementary (see elementaryos.org) which is an off-shoot of Ubuntu, the UI is easy to use and it is very fast, the team that run it care deeply about the UI though they crib from Apple OSX heavily so that's why it feels like they have their act together compared to other linux distros.

It's still very early days for Elementary but it feels like a more credible OS and I'd recommend it over WinXP if your simply don't want to continue using Windows.

The most popular PC linux OS will be Google Chrome OS once it starts to evolve a bit further past it's cloud roots.

If your sticking to Windows jump to Windows 8.1 don't go with older versions, Win 8.1 has lower system requirements than Win 7 so for an older PC it's a better fit.

Ok where have you been for the last 10 years look at Ubuntu, Mint, PCLinuxOS, Feroda.

Installing is apps is simple.

You don't need a to be Guru to use it and you never have to go near the command line if do want to. I teach kid to code , and some as you 10 are usr Linux , if 10 year old had use any one can. Please get you facts right it people like you that scare people away from Linux .

check it video out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgGbZfR6Vec&list=TLHu-GyQPYJut8LY6jSF-K61SJ5qigAGd0

riclad

YOU go to linux, os, menu, software store, category , eg internet,
system utility, etc
or do a search for say, vlc, or web browser.

ITS easier to use than windows , and safer, at least when installing software.where theres 1000.s of software download sites ,
some which install adware or spyware on your pc.
IF you can send a text message on a phone, you can install a program ,on a linux os.

Nowso

or this option

http://www.majorgeeks.com/news/story/simple_registry_hack_allows_xp_to_update_security.html

yoyo

Nowso wrote: »

or this option

http://www.majorgeeks.com/news/story/simple_registry_hack_allows_xp_to_update_security.html

Windows Embedded is missing some components that a stock XP install would have, adding to that it contains features XP Home & Pro versions do not. Not only could this "hack" could actually render XP unbootable it also will not patch all components that could possibly be exploited in consumer XP versions.
A simply check of the product key should be able to make Microsoft render this hack inoperable, if they will bother who knows..

Nick