Re: Software + Operating systems
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In reply to:
Re: Software + Operating systems
Colleen Tapscott 4/07/14
Afternoon Colleen
The article that David drew to your attention is a reasonable assessment generally; and of going to Windows 8.1 particularly.
I went through that exercise in March this year, my Windows Vista PC having apparently failed.
Hence my present Windows 8/8.1 PC.
As the article suggests, the change from earlier Windows to W8/8.1 can be almost traumatic; and I was beginning to get annoyed until I loaded Classic Shell.
This presents W8/8.1 more or less as with the earlier versions; but there are still a few subtle differences - may be I have not found a way around them all.
Compounding that, the automatic update from 8 to 8.1 seemed to have worked successfully several times as there were no warnings that it had not, before eventually it did actually work - with a relatively triumphant announcement.
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Fortunately I had a full COPY (as opposed to Backup) of virtually all of the failed PC HDD Contents, my Family Tree etc particularly; and also other semi-business aspects that I still am involved in, after 15 years of alleged retirement.
That was on a separate USB-connected HDD; but I also manged to get where required, the latest versions of some files, using a "jury-rig" harness to connect the Vista HDD (still in situ - difficult to remove) to the W8/8.1 PC.
As this also demonstrated that the Vista HDD was still functional, I loaded up UBUNTU LINUX on it; and now have it back in a different but functioning state.
And another Learning Curve with UL!
At the Desktop level, UL seems to fall half-way between the older Windows and the "touch-Screen or Panel" presentation of W8/8.1.
Having got through all that and establishing my "up-to-date" files etc on the W8/8.1 PC, I then copied "everything" back on to the external USB HDD and on to the by-now UBUNTU PC.
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Regards Windows XP, keep in mind that it is NOT "new weaknesses" that you have to worry about, it is the "existing weaknesses" that may be present, to be found and more importantly, for someone to exploit.
Those remaining weaknesses must almost by definition, be the ones that are more difficult to find and/or to exploit, so are less likely to be followed up. Also less kudos!
As W8/8.1 is newer, who knows what level of weakness it is at, potentially that could be greater than XP.
Whilst it is possible to isolate your XP PC from the wicked outside world, you would have to be careful about maintaining that isolation completely.
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With W8/8.1 in updating IE and Chrome, I was bombarded with "PUPs", Potentially Unwanted Programs, which became a right nuisance. It is only in the immediate past week that I have managed to get rid (hopefully) of most of them.
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I have my doubts as to whether it is worth trying to upgrade your XP PC, it probably does not have sufficient RAM particularly to handle newer (versions of) programs.
Incidentally, the more recent versions of Family Tree Maker are distinctly different from the earlier versions.
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Alex
More Replies:
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Re: Software + Operating systems
PHYLLIS PHILLIPS 4/23/14
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Re: Software + Operating systems
David Cooper 4/23/14
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Re: Software + Operating systems
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Re: Software + Operating systems
Colleen Tapscott 4/12/14
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Re: Software + Operating systems
Alex Dow 4/12/14
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Re: Software + Operating systems
Colleen Tapscott 4/12/14
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Re: Software + Operating systems
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Re: Software + Operating systems