Microsoft to start nagging Windows 8.1 users in July about January 2023 end-of-support date

Are they going to nag all 3 of them?!

 

OK one is @EASTER and who are two others?
I agree that there are not many users on 8.1 any more. Though persuading users of Windows 10 to move to 11 will much harder task.

 

Mostly because they can't. 8.1 to 10 probably doesn't require new hardware. 10 to 11 likely will.

 

Millions of users? I have honestly only seen it less than 10 times over the course of its existence. Like it or don't (I ran it myself to be able to assist customers with it) but I don't think we had more than 3 customers that used it, ever. I guess I have to believe it is out there. I also have to wonder where and why.

 

Interesting chart for multiple reasons. Thanks.

 

4

i only need a compatible scsi card for x64 and my scanner
nevertheless i work on win10 primary.
maybe transferring win8.1 into vbox.

win8 is easy to replace with win10 or 11, but win7 is steady on a high level, mostly zombies but they do not know. i am pretty sure the next EK has 7 in its focus when ESU runs out 2023.

 

Sorry, didn't mean to leave you out.

 

thank you

 

I agree. Requirement to replace HW will be probably main reason why people will hesitate to move to 11.

 

The last laptop I bought years ago came with 8.0 installed and then changed to 8.1,the laptop is an Acer and came with 4gb of RAM installed,I looked at upgrading the RAM and for some strange reason Acer decided the put the RAM ports between the motherboard and the keyboard,to access them I have to unattach all the components from the motherboard and then remove the motherboard.

As it stands this laptop will certainly be Linux by January 2023 as my needs for Windows is not enough to pay out for a new laptop and I dislike 10 enough not to bother messing with the motherboard.

 

Because it was preinstalled probably and somebody don't bothered to upgrade to 10. Frankly after Update 1 8.1 and a few clicks in control panel it became normal. It was also quite stable and reliable.
Maybe laptop vendor didn't bother to release drivers for Windows 10.
I don't know if upgrade to 10 was free for bussinesses too.

 

It was, at least if it was Professional. Can't speak for Enterprise. But most businesses ran 7 until they had to go to 10.

 

Amen brother. Oh I have a lappy with 10 but Pffftttt no use. HOWEVER 8.1 is a PowerHouse and is a proven Winner on this end. So many pluses I won't mention except ONE that MS really screwed over the rest of the Windows public from having use of, and that's the fallback masterpiece and so far, 100% efficient Custom Refresh WIM feature. In some ways if not many it makes making images rather redundant.

 

Win 8.1 Pro here. Three times I upgraded and tried to like Win 10. Three times I returned to 8.1. Windows 8.1 is just faster in every way. I don't know about reliability since I never kept 10 long enough. I'm staying with 8.1 for as long as this laptop lasts or, given my age, as long as I last - whichever quits first.

 

SAME!!

The consensus always favor to push the masses toward the new but it is not always so no matter what so called improvements are raved about. Sticking with 8.1 here as well. It dances circles around 10 and 11 and without all those feelers intertwined that 10/11 are destined to lock those users in for life.

Nope don't need that nuisance and certainly no need to waste even more VALUABLE time/effort and attention learning all over again yet another famous M$ debacle

 

While in my opinion Windows 11 is the best OS Microsoft has released, I would put Windows 8 second along with Windows 10. Windows 8 is excellent and I don't know why people rate it as a terrible OS along with Vista. It only had one major issue, the lack of a Start Menu. In terms if performance and reliability it's excellent. It had no serious bugs like Vista did and on some computers it runs much faster than Windows 10. The lack of a Start Menu is not really an issue because if you install an app like Classic Shell, not only do you get a Windows 7 style Start Menu, but it works as well as if Microsoft had included a Start Menu natively.

There are only two notable issues that I can think of. The inconsistent UI design which really doesn't bother me and that with some antiviruses installed, if you upgraded to Windows 8.1 from 8, some app shortcuts would be deleted.

It's worth noting that Windows 11 performance is closer to Windows 8 than Windows 10 on low end hardware. It runs pretty well on a 15 year old Core 2 Duo ThinkPad.

 

It's also worth noting and I only keep repeating it because Microsoft really shot their foot off by not rolling Custom Refresh ahead for 10 and 11. Last I checked Windows 10 still had in the Control Panel a Windows 7 Backup?? Which I understand from some just doesn't pass as reliable.

Custom Refresh is a game changer in that it assists a Windows User to preserve their system in event of even the worse malware or a Hardware issue. Or any corruption happens normally it is easily overcome. Of course not naïve since every windows user's MAIN FAILSAFE is a solid imaging solution. I even use Reflect but thanks to Custom Refresh WIM feature in Windows 8.1 I've avoided having to resort to those for the longest time.

 

I've never understood this whole mentality of just updating to the latest software for the sheer sake of updating (especially if what you currently use works without issues), which companies want to make money, so I can understand them pestering users to update but it has always come across as scaremongering like there is a big bad bogeyman, lurking in the shadows, who is going to destroy your data if you don't play the update game.

Most people need reassuring, so smoke and mirror tactics really do work on those people as they will always fall for the lie of "if you don't update your software, you could lose your data"............Utter nonsense but cash grabbing is the name of the game.

 

Do your would really want to explain to average Joe what buffer overflow and remote code execution is and other kind of vulnerabilities? That would be an easier task. Second task would be to analyze available mitigation methods against it that don't break use cases for this particular software user.
Spoiler alert: It wouldn't work for 99% of people. It is just easier to tell people to update to supported Windows version or choose other OS.

 

Exactly same sentiments here. The major problem that still lingers most is that M$ is never had (aside from maybe Mac/Linux) solid competition for competing operating systems (that are innovative and safe) like the software makers who vie for not only market position but quality and best of all Endurance. People/PC Users just shouldn't have to constantly fork out for what is told is the next best after countless unending updates/upgrades on a system they've settled on which really does seem like an update game.

 

It's free to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 and 8 and it's free to upgrade from 7, 8 or 10 to Windows 11. While Windows 10 worked very well, Windows 11 works better for me because it's noticably faster. So I'm very glad that I upgraded.

 

Frankly as much as I "could" convert my new DELL from 10 to 11, there's so much success and productive computing experience with Windows 8.1 that I can about guarantee I will wait for Windows 12. By then also might not mind buying a new system with Windows 12 with it.

Still doesn't mean this user can distance too far from 8.1 since it continues to sing songs and dance circles around the 10 and best of all without constant Bork Tuesday update madness interruptions.