Windows Xp nears End Of Life (THANK GOD!) Zero Day Forever April 8 2014

[Molandfreak]

Speaking of obsolete film formats: http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/betamaxhd.html

[SteveG1988]

Speaking of obsolete film formats: http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/betamaxhd.html

I love their april fools gags.

[jeffandnicole]

Losing analog TV was fucking annoying for those of us in rural areas that got poor but still watchable reception because suddenly we had no reception- and what did we get out of that? The ability to watch HD over the air in a few major markets? Was anybody actually doing that anyway?

I only lost ABC when I use my antenna. 40 miles from the transmission site

Tailgating at Eagles games, I used an HD receiver on my TV.  No problems getting Channels 3, 10, 29 and others in.  But Channel 6 - even though I could SEE the antennas less than 10 miles away, I still couldn't get their signal.

Late in the analog era, Channel 6 in Philly started using their position on the radio dial (Channel 6 = 87.7 on the radio dial anywhere in the country, for those areas that had a Channel 6) to their advantage...they would mention 87.7 FM as a way to keep updated about storms and such.

[oscar]

Did you cry when they stopped selling VHS tapes?

The local Best Buy and office supply stores still stock VHS and cassette tapes.

They may sell blanks, but you cannot buy pre-recorded films.

Not there, but Amazon has some titles still available in VHS, both new and used.  Here's one example (for a title I've put on my wish list, in DVD format, to buy after the holidays).

I haven't gotten rid of all my old VHS tapes, but I wouldn't be surprised if the VHS part of my VHS recorder/DVD player (which has received no maintenance in many years) doesn't work anymore. 

[SteveG1988]

Losing analog TV was fucking annoying for those of us in rural areas that got poor but still watchable reception because suddenly we had no reception- and what did we get out of that? The ability to watch HD over the air in a few major markets? Was anybody actually doing that anyway?

I only lost ABC when I use my antenna. 40 miles from the transmission site

Tailgating at Eagles games, I used an HD receiver on my TV.  No problems getting Channels 3, 10, 29 and others in.  But Channel 6 - even though I could SEE the antennas less than 10 miles away, I still couldn't get their signal.

Late in the analog era, Channel 6 in Philly started using their position on the radio dial (Channel 6 = 87.7 on the radio dial anywhere in the country, for those areas that had a Channel 6) to their advantage...they would mention 87.7 FM as a way to keep updated about storms and such.

Their signals have issues going through buildings, WPVI and WHYY both stuck on the VHF band for some reason.

the VHF signal has a shorter wavelength, and can be fouled by buildings a lot easier with the digital signal, wheras UHF has a shorter wavelength that can carry more data, penetrating the buildings a bit better.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Let me put this question in. My family has no money whatsoever to spend. We have XP computers (and one with 7 because it was given from my father's old company.) We cannot afford to upgrade and really, is it the end of the world that we use outdated technology?  My family has never owned a high-definition television (and only once a high-definition computer monitor), we still have our 45-50 year old speakers with the 35-ish year old stereo. Hell my dorm room here has my XP computer, a 19in SD television and a VCR.

We can't afford luxuries and neither does my family really care? There's not one motivation to upgrade (and as I said, I love XP for the interface I was raised on.) and its a non-issue really. What are we supposed to do on April 8? Just fork over money we don't have? It just seems we're arguing needs vs. wants here.

[Duke87]

You're not supposed to do anything (unless you want to). Your computer with XP on it will continue to work just fine on April 9, 2014. But you will not receive any more updates for the OS after that date... which has no particular implications for its function other than that any remaining bugs and security flaws will never be fixed. The real reason to upgrade comes when newer software that you want to use does not run on XP, and from the fact that when your programs (web browser, Adobe, etc.) stop updating, you will gradually find that more and more things which rely on newer functionality do not work on your computer.

A lot of modern technology becomes functionally obsolete before it becomes physically obsolete. My parents still have their stereo that they bought in 1985 when they got married, and it still works! But it rarely gets used anymore since they both have iPods. Meanwhile, if you don't want to or can't spend money on something newer, there is nothing inherently wrong with the 30 year old stereo. Upgrading on something like that is done purely for greater convenience and more advanced features (although I'm sure there will come a day when nobody is releasing music on CD anymore, and then...).

[Anthony_JK]

Well...one alternative could be to simply move your system to a Linux-based OS, such as Ubuntu or Mint. They don't require nearly as much RAM as WinXP, they are compatible with most modern apps....and best of all, they are free to download and install.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Well...one alternative could be to simply move your system to a Linux-based OS, such as Ubuntu or Mint. They don't require nearly as much RAM as WinXP, they are compatible with most modern apps....and best of all, they are free to download and install.

I seriously don't think my computer can handle any change. After all my specific computer, which is the source of many jokes, including my own, is really surviving because I gave it a lifeline in September of adding Service Pack 3.

[SteveG1988]

Well...one alternative could be to simply move your system to a Linux-based OS, such as Ubuntu or Mint. They don't require nearly as much RAM as WinXP, they are compatible with most modern apps....and best of all, they are free to download and install.

I seriously don't think my computer can handle any change. After all my specific computer, which is the source of many jokes, including my own, is really surviving because I gave it a lifeline in September of adding Service Pack 3.

It took you that long to get SP3?

but yeah, my cousin on a 2.8GHZ Pentium 4 with 256mb of ram had xp, instead of redoing it for him (it was given to him without a password to the XP Home install) with XP, I put Lubuntu on it, and then ordered more ram for him (15 bucks for 2gb) thing flies

[bugo]

Did you cry when they shut off analog TV?

Digital TV is terrible.  I live right in the middle of town, and I can't pick up one of the local stations at all.

[on_wisconsin]

Hell my dorm room here has my XP computer..

OT: Wait, your Uni doesn't offer some sort of free to use/ low cost leasing of laptops?

[realjd]

Losing analog TV was fucking annoying for those of us in rural areas that got poor but still watchable reception because suddenly we had no reception- and what did we get out of that? The ability to watch HD over the air in a few major markets? Was anybody actually doing that anyway?

I only lost ABC when I use my antenna. 40 miles from the transmission site

Tailgating at Eagles games, I used an HD receiver on my TV.  No problems getting Channels 3, 10, 29 and others in.  But Channel 6 - even though I could SEE the antennas less than 10 miles away, I still couldn't get their signal.

Late in the analog era, Channel 6 in Philly started using their position on the radio dial (Channel 6 = 87.7 on the radio dial anywhere in the country, for those areas that had a Channel 6) to their advantage...they would mention 87.7 FM as a way to keep updated about storms and such.

Their signals have issues going through buildings, WPVI and WHYY both stuck on the VHF band for some reason.

the VHF signal has a shorter wavelength, and can be fouled by buildings a lot easier with the digital signal, wheras UHF has a shorter wavelength that can carry more data, penetrating the buildings a bit better.

As part of the transition, VHF channels were restricted to a power output of 20 kW. That's the bigger problem.

A few stations also used the digital transition to lower transmitter power because they had a scapegoat in the transition.

[formulanone]

Did you cry when they shut off analog TV?

...it's important to make sure that the progress is actually useful progress.

^ This.

It's not about the "crying", it's about losing something that was once free to use for something that's inferior and requires a digital antenna (semi-subsidized as it may be).

That's what sucks about it. There was nothing wrong with existing analog TV, imperfect as it was. But the spectrum was for sale, and even in the ether...location location location is all that matters to the highest bidder.

The alternative is paying for the ever-rising cost of cable or satellite TV, which I barely use (and care about) less and less with each day. Probably because I really don't care as much for sporting events as I used to, and to hell with all that pop culture noise and dust. I can use the internet for most of what I care to keep in touch with.

The fact that an operating system is maintained at all past it's due date is remarkable, in an age of fly-by-night software. Nobody promised that games would be updated or patched years ago, no entity promised any backwards compatibility until about 15 years ago. You started anew every 3-4 years; only since the advent of the public internet has a computer that handles several applications could theoretically (even if slowly) last a decade.

But like a VW Beetle, a Douglas DC3, a Technics 1200 turntable, some things were pretty darn good and sturdy to begin with. That's why we get nostalgic...

[hotdogPi]

It's not even obsolete.

[NE2]

It's called planned obsolescence.

PS: Billy, stop whining.

[Zeffy]

You can still use XP - just don't go dicking around on the shady sites of the Internet and you won't get a mega virus that eats your harddrive from the inside out. If you want to stick with an OS that's a decade old, well, that's your choice. But you must know that you're doing so on your own accord, and that you won't be receiving any sort of support for it. There's definitely not going to be some massive influx of people upgrading from XP anytime soon - which is fine, it's just that Microsoft has bigger and better things to do than assist people in using a 12 year old operating system. I'm sure web forums on the Internet will provide support in any ways they can, but software and hardware manufacturers will probably move on from XP's dated technologies and develop solutions for Windows 7 / Windows 8.1.

[corco]

Okay, I understand why XP is being phased out. What I don't understand is why people are actually actively happy to see it happening- there's really two logical reactions

1) Damn, my XP computer isn't going to be getting patches. Do I need to upgrade? That's kind of annoying if I do.
2) Oh, I don't have an XP computer. This is non-news.

Why are people thanking god that XP is being phased out? Is its presence really negatively affecting your life that much?

[Billy F 1988]

I wish there was damn like button for what you just posted! That was exactly where I was going with that thought. (until NE2 had to miss every point I made!!!!!!!)

[NE2]

Dude, you did not clearly understand what I had said. You're just talking out of your bosiferous asshole. I was not whining. You and a few others were doing most of that.

[Billy F 1988]

Just bugger, off NE2. Please. I'm done with you. You didn't get what I said, tough fucking luck, your loss! Deal with it.

[Alps]

Just bugger, off NE2. Please. I'm done with you. You didn't get what I said, tough fucking luck, your loss! Deal with it.

If you agree that there's no reason to celebrate XP's demise, why did you write so many paragraphs about it?

[Billy F 1988]

Forget it. I don't care to explain anymore. I am in no mood to argue anymore, so I am not going to tell you why.

[on_wisconsin]

About the "crying", it's about losing something that was once free to use for something that's inferior and requires a digital antenna (semi-subsidized as it may be)

There is no such thing as a "digital" antenna, its a marketing term. I personally have a hand me down, dug out of a box, set top antenna from the 80's that works perfectly with my HDTV. Location and your surroundings are what really have an impact on signal strength. Also remember DTV is severely impacted by the "digital cliff", where as analog fades much more gradually and is generally useable from longer distances from the transmitter.

The federally run converter box coupon program ended in 2009.

P.S. Maybe this DTV discussion should be split into its own thread.

[vtk]

I don't like being told I "have to" upgrade.  I understand I have two choices: hope my computer isn't attacked, or spend time and money I don't have trying to make a new operating system work on a 5 year old computer while attempting to migrate as much software and user preferences as possible, some of which simply won't migrate.  I don't like it.  I don't have to like it, but I do have to face the reality.  I may quietly grumble about it, and that's only human.

I object to other people's implications that I should have upgraded already, or that upgrading is easy or inexpensive.  Those who still use XP for one reason or another deserve respect and sensitivity, if not sympathy.  This is not a trivial matter, or we'd have already upgraded.