IT issues

[Sweep]

Rejoice gbnz.

This could be your chance to escape windows.

I had a similar experience a while ago when my Windows 8 laptop developed a fault.

It went away to be fixed for free under the guarantee and when it came back the Lenovo repairers had screwed up the licence of the operating system in some way so that it wouldn't update to Windows 10 as it was supposed to.

And before that I'd been through merry hell with updates - chewing my finger nails for an hour or two wondering if an update was going to work (imagine selling someone a PC with windows 8 on when 8.1 is already long out - and the first thing you have to do on unpacking the thing is do a major op system update to do the job Microsoft and the manufacturer should have done. I had also had several episodes with updates that repeatedly failed to apply.

Following a tip from al on here I got a Chromebook- cost me £170, very sleek, great battery life, painless updates, allows me to do all I need, including route planning.

A normal internet link would help of course.

You could always make use of lots of free internet, particularly if you have a nice local Spoons. Just invest in an annual sub to a VPN if you want to do anything involving money etc.

[661-Pete]

Fine for games? Games are the most demanding application for computers bar none (unless you're playing old or simple games).

Yes I am talking about old games of course. Else why would I need Dosbox? But the older stuff I occasionally run, is not games - but it still needs some oomph...

[mercalia]

It could be said that IT isn't a cycling issue; other than the fact that internet based mapping, route planning, shopping for parts, rail/ferry/plane tickets, the weather forecast and cycling forums is all online (At least on my part).

I was a bit shocked to find that my new Windows 10, 18 month old laptop package is no longer supported by Microsoft in respect to internet use (XP etc, lasted 10-12 years, my Windows 10 Version 1507 lasted a year; apparently Windows 10 versions can be beyond support months after introduction. I can't update easily, as I use mobile broadband - I tried and wasted £30 PAYG data trying to update to the next version, the systems invariably crashing prior to completion. (Nb. I've since read that Microsoft state updates can't be completed using metered PAYG connections)

Does it matter if I access the internet, via a Windows 10 package no longer benefiting from Microsoft security updates etc, etc? I've not had a problem with viruses/malware in ten months use of Windows 10 in an unsupported state (Nb. My intention being to source a free WIFI connection one day and update via that).

Or am I likely to find my bank accounts & pension funds emptied overnight, if I I log onto Spa Cycles, bike hike or the Met Office? And will I now be forced to purchase a "landline internet connection" or spend a fortune getting PC World et al to update Windows every six months?

do you have a ralative/friend/nearby forum user whose broadband you can use?

I'm not a trendy consumer. I dont have a smartphone.

[gbnz]

Could you use a friend's wifi for the fairly short time needed? Or could you buy a rolling one month mobile data contract (with a large or unlimited data limit of course) and then cancel it when it's no longer needed?

I'll probably go for the wi-fi option, once I've found somewhere suitable to use wi-fi. Or as an alternative call into PC World or somewhere similar to attempt an immediate quick fix

Having come close to being screwed by an operator last January on a mobile data contract, I'd be reluctant to take that option (£300-400 of excess data was used by someone in the first month of the contract. Following discussion the operator was gracious enough to scrap the charges).

[mjr]

As it happens I - and the probably millions of others also using 'old unsupported' OS's - have had no security problems whatsoever.

How would you know?

One day I may be unlucky, but I'm pretty careful online, and follow all the usual precautions.

Maybe you'd like to outline those for the benefit of others. It is possible to run old unpatched systems if you are "pretty careful online", which I'd suggest includes keeping the machine behind a firewall on only trusted networks (no using random cafe wifi) with ad blockers and noscript, probably running intrusion detection ideally from a disk that isn't permanently connected (to reduce the risk that the attack discovers and disables the detector).

And furthermore, the bulk of MS updates that I have seen coming through in the past, have been tagged "Genuine Advantage" or similar. These, of course, are nothing to do with 'protecting' you, the customer. They're to protect MS's cash cow against piracy - as the hackers get more and more clever!

Yes, the bundling of updates is a problem. Most systems allow you to distinguish real security updates from others more easily - MS is maybe at the most extreme end of making it difficult.

If you don't want to pay Microsoft and their hardware makers...

This is emphatically nothing whatsoever to do with money.

There are more problems with paying MS than just the price IMO.

I happen to keep on the XP because I have some old software that won't run on anything later - which I still use occasionally.

And that's some of the problems: generally when people pay for software, they don't get enough of it to keep it running on later systems. Maybe you wouldn't or couldn't update it, but either someone who had got all the software either would or might hire someone to update it. But instead, software succumbs to bitrot and we lose a small bit of knowledge from the world - it's madness.

[Psamathe]

As it happens I - and the probably millions of others also using 'old unsupported' OS's - have had no security problems whatsoever.

How would you know?

One day I may be unlucky, but I'm pretty careful online, and follow all the usual precautions.

Maybe you'd like to outline those for the benefit of others. It is possible to run old unpatched systems if you are "pretty careful online", which I'd suggest includes keeping the machine behind a firewall on only trusted networks (no using random cafe wifi) with ad blockers and noscript, probably running intrusion detection ideally from a disk that isn't permanently connected (to reduce the risk that the attack discovers and disables the detector).
......

A week ago I visited http://www.independent.co.uk - a site that should be pretty reliable except I'd temporarily switched off some of my blockers/safeguards and ...bam ... other safeguards went off and quarantined suspect downloaded content from an ad on the site. These days with the large numbers of ads on so many web sites and those ads being served from 3rd party sites the concept of a "reliable site" and "being carful" is a lot lot harder. Even sites you'd expect to be reliable/reputable include content through 3rd parties without and checks.

Ian

[mercalia]

As it happens I - and the probably millions of others also using 'old unsupported' OS's - have had no security problems whatsoever.

How would you know?

One day I may be unlucky, but I'm pretty careful online, and follow all the usual precautions.

Maybe you'd like to outline those for the benefit of others. It is possible to run old unpatched systems if you are "pretty careful online", which I'd suggest includes keeping the machine behind a firewall on only trusted networks (no using random cafe wifi) with ad blockers and noscript, probably running intrusion detection ideally from a disk that isn't permanently connected (to reduce the risk that the attack discovers and disables the detector).
......

A week ago I visited http://www.independent.co.uk - a site that should be pretty reliable except I'd temporarily switched off some of my blockers/safeguards and ...bam ... other safeguards went off and quarantined suspect downloaded content from an ad on the site. These days with the large numbers of ads on so many web sites and those ads being served from 3rd party sites the concept of a "reliable site" and "being carful" is a lot lot harder. Even sites you'd expect to be reliable/reputable include content through 3rd parties without and checks.

Ian

++++++++++1

if yoiu have some thing like noscript installed and look at the multitude of sites that web pages try to load it is astonishing.

[al_yrpal]

Another vote for a Chomebook. 1/5 of the price of a Mac, less than half the price of a basic Windows laptop and completely hassle free. Any updates take less than 10 seconds and usually you wont even notice. Total integration with your Android tablet and phone. Free software too…

Recently bought a Samsung Galaxy S8 version 2, top tablet according to Which, only £229! This replaced my trusty Hudl 2 which only cost £60 with the points. Hudl now relegated to holiday use.

Al

[mercalia]

Another vote for a Chomebook. 1/5 of the price of a Mac, less than half the price of a basic Windows laptop and completely hassle free. Any updates take less than 10 seconds and usually you wont even notice. Total integration with your Android tablet and phone. Free software too…

Recently bought a Samsung Galaxy S8 version 2, top tablet according to Which, only £229! This replaced my trusty Hudl 2 which only cost £60 with the points. Hudl now relegated to holiday use.

Al

well my 2nd hand note book is an old NC4400 cost be just £70 runs windows 10. I upgraded the slow harddisc to a ssd ( £50 )and now boots up quite fast. Has a magnesium alloy case so very tough.

[kwackers]

Recently bought a Samsung Galaxy S8 version 2, top tablet according to Which, only £229!

Second hand? If not where did you get it from?

[al_yrpal]

Recently bought a Samsung Galaxy S8 version 2, top tablet according to Which, only £229!

Second hand? If not where did you get it from?

Oops its an S2 8 currently £329 at Argos.

Argos - yes, I was amazed at that price too. If you keep an eye on an item the prices go up and down almost daily! Great tablet

Al

[gbnz]

Maybe you wouldn't or couldn't update it, but either someone who had got all the software either would or might hire someone to update it..........it's madness.

Well, took the plunge. While I'm quite happy building bike wheels, stripping bearings et al,paying £35.00 to have a professional download/upload/install 8GB of data was the only obvious, immediate option.

At least now I'm forewarned that I've got 18 months prior to the MS software having all support removed - which provides time for some background research on avoiding the problem in the future.