How often: upgrading operating software platform

[shootingstar]

I'm sure I'll get used to Windows 8 and get rid of too many real estate desktop screen memory sucking charms/icons that are preloaded. I default to the classic shell Windows for now.

I almost dread every major operating system upgrade because it does mean checking that the computers' ancillary hardware pieces and software tools work too. Either that or buy a new computer which I have no interest since I got mine 2 years ago.

The only reason why I upgraded is that I noticed that some Internet sites don't function properly without IE 10. I have Safari as an alternate browser but only use it occasionally.

I nearly long for the days for a simplified GUI or popping into DOS at command line level for simple troubleshooting when less computer memory was required and it was easier to figure out where problems were located. Software was just simpler and less memory intensive.

[Blueberry]

Windows 8 is why I bought a Mac. And it still has a terminal prompt, so that things can be fixed (by those who know how) when they wrong.

[OakLeaf]

I'm curious, what websites work only with IE these days??? I honestly didn't even know anyone uses IE any more! I use Firefox, and the only time I can't see a website is when it requires me to take down more of my security than I'm willing to do. If I really really want to look at (or post a comment on) whatever site it is that's so full of spyware, I run Safari in private browsing mode and then immediately quit out of it, then delete all my Flash cookies, when I'm done. Never had a problem viewing a website for reasons that weren't self-imposed.

Call me lazy (or cheap), but an OS upgrade just seems like a huge risk with very little reward. Forget the peripherals, there's too much chance the OS itself won't run properly on obsolete hardware. Too much chance of a mid-upgrade crash and then hours or days of tearing my hair out restoring from backups. No thanks.

I did it once, about ten years ago (maybe longer), went to the OS 10.1 release party at the Apple Store and everything because I wanted the networking capability with DH's Windows boxes, and that was a new feature back then. Nowadays I get a new OS when I get a new computer and not before. (But I still have the T-shirt from the Jaguar release party. )

I only use Windows for one or two apps, and I still run XP under Parallels. Would you believe that Microsoft is still releasing patches for XP?! I just got a couple within the last week or two.

[Owlie]

I just "upgrade" when it's time to buy a new computer. (Skipped Vista entirely, went from XP on old Dell to 7 on the new one, even though my old computer was close to the last of the ones that came with XP and was capable of running Vista.) Since Microsoft seems to have this "every other operating system" thing going...I'll wait until they release the next one!

Oak, my parents still use IE...of course, they also still use AOL. My father insists that Firefox screwed up the computer. No, it didn't. I promise!

[shootingstar]

A lot of large employers use IE and Windows: because their enterprise-wide systems with specialized applications, were designed on Windows/IBM systems. I currently work in govn't (14,000 employees) and our IT dept. most likely will not move to Windows 8 until they know their other enterprise-wise systems will work, etc. We have an IT dept. that seems disconnected at times in providing support. (You wouldn't believe some of the simplest things take ages for an installation/troubleshooting...).

I make this comment because I've had to evaluate, specify and install specialized software for my dept. for several different employers over the past few decades. I've previously worked for 2 provincial govn't agencies, 1 national firm, 2 global firms....they all used IE and Windows. Sure some employees used other browsers but that was not given to new employees as the standard desktop/laptop configuration.

Personally I think it's terrible as consumers that we sometimes find it easier ...to buy a new computer to avoid major upgrade issues. I only want to buy a computer every decade or more. I can't even imagine in retirement having the resources to do that. Maybe we have to build that into estimating "retirement" budget??

[OakLeaf]

But, you can't view their websites without using IE yourself? That's the part I don't get.

[shootingstar]

With IE 7, sometimes things got squirrely. Now I have IE 10.

[Maye]

I have a Mac Book pro and I found that the the OS is easier to upgrade than for a Windows based computer. Drivers that are required for printers to work properly get installed automatically versus having to do it manually like with a Windows based OS. I'm not sure if this is still the case with Windows 8. I do upgrade the OS if major updates or features are added otherwise, I usually wait until I have no choice or when major security issues require me to update and or upgrade.

[Irulan]

I'm curious, what websites work only with IE these days??? I honestly didn't even know anyone uses IE any more! I use Firefox, and the only time I can't see a website is when it requires me to take down more of my security than I'm willing to do. If I really really want to look at (or post a comment on) whatever site it is that's so full of spyware, I run Safari in private browsing mode and then immediately quit out of it, then delete all my Flash cookies, when I'm done. Never had a problem viewing a website for reasons that weren't self-imposed

.

In our engineering biz, we run into TONS of governemnt websites that are IE based, and cannot be viewed in Mozilla. I hate it.
I don't see what the rush to Win 8 is. We have several Win 7 systems that work great,and even some XP ones that while slower, do the job just fine.

[eofelis]

I'm on a Dell XP desktop machine right now. It was bought just before Vista rolled out. It still works fine for internet and basic functions.
Our next machine (bought 2 years ago) was a Dell Win7 desktop machine. Works great. (We have 2 desktops.)
I bought a laptop a couple of months ago because I decided I wanted a Win7 one while there were still some left. I didn't want a Win8 OS. I got a Lenovo Ideapad. I'm happy with it!

[TrekDianna]

I got a new computer for my birthday. It came with windows 8. I reformatted the hard drive the next weekend and installed windows 7.

[Kiwi Stoker]

You should upgrade when the software company stops supporting the operating system. And as a rule of thumb I don't upgrade to the latest and greatest striaght away, always wait 6-12 months for the company to sort out the bugs.

[OakLeaf]

You should upgrade when the software company stops supporting the operating system.

... like I said, I'm still getting patches for XP Home!

So on that basis - and looking up some basics - I'll stick with what I originally said. Supposedly MS is going to stop supporting XP a little over a year from now. Vista was released in January 2007 and XP was last sold through MS's developer program two years later. So, by the time MS stops supporting XP, a computer that was originally sold with XP installed would be a minimum of five years old (if it was sold through the developer program), and more likely seven to TWELVE years old ... I just can't imagine that the hardware would be capable of running Win 8 or modern applications. So, new computer, with the new OS installed.

Same thing goes if your existing OS isn't capable of running a current browser. I'd be real leery of installing a new OS over whatever hardware that was...


... websites that can't be viewed in Mozilla, Safari or Chrome? Figures. But, NASA has a cool iPad app ...

[Irulan]

I'm sure I'll get used to Windows 8 and get rid of too many real estate desktop screen memory sucking charms/icons that are preloaded.

We buy our systems from a local company that builds them. They install the OS without the bloatware. It's awesome.

[Catrin]

I am a late adopter, I prefer to wait until a new OS is out for a couple of years and have had a couple major updates before I will even consider it. If I have to get a new computer then I might make a different decision, but I prefer to give them a chance to work at least some of the bugs out.

As far as browsers are concerned, I find I have more luck with Chrome than even Firefox these days. I am a government employee and that is my browser of choice. IE is the current supported browser in our enterprise and it still has problems accessing PDF files on websites - but I've no problem using Chrome - so I do. FireFox is better than IE where this is concerned, but I still have some trouble with it.

Most of our enterprise is still on XP, my agency only just moved to Windows 7 as a test environment a couple of months ago - mainly because the new version of the model I run will no longer operate in a 32-bit environment. I really like Windows 7 (the first time I've been able to say that about any Windows OS) and have no intention on moving to 8 in the foreseeable future.