Are you nostalgic for Windows XP?

As far as I’m concerned – I do not change an OS just because there is a new one out – unless the old one was very defective. I’ve been using PCs since DOS.

Win XP has virtually no faults and is robust – allows easy recovery – and works very well with my latest Computer – a fast piece of kit indeed – So why should I change?.

Win Vista was rubbish – Win 7 is no better than XP for all of my requirements. I want software that I can use for all of my requirements – without having to learn new “tricks” for the “updates”

It is why I do not use Microsoft for anything except the OS.

Corel Wordperfect is far superior to Word in all respects. – As is Corel Paint Shop Pro.

The only other OS really available is a form of Linux and honestly I find that not as easy to use as XP though I use if for a Laptop
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The only reason I will change from XP is when my usual software upgrades will no longer work with it. But even then I would be inclined simply not to upgrade anyway – unless the upgrade was far far superior to the previous version – and that has been very rare indeed.

Unless a new operating system (or any software) is offering big improvements in areas I am interested in why should I change.
I will only have to spend a lot of time finding out how it works and where all those useful or important options have been moved to again.

More importantly hardware is no longer the limiting factor for most people’s use of a PC so many people carry on happily using machines several years old with XP.

I agree that XP will continue to be popular for some while, but I continue to be amused that so many people happily spend out considerable amounts of money for anti-virus products because all versions of Windows are, and will always be, fundamentally broken. Microsoft knows that, from a technical perspective, the commercial requirement for “backwards-compatibility” means that a complete re-write is out of the question: yet, without such a re-write from scratch, the lack of any formal security model within the operating system can never be remedied.

Because Linux and other Unix derivatives started out as multi-user operating systems, they were written on the basis that the superuser (“root”) is God and every other user had be regarded as hostile potential attackers, hence the formal security model that completely separates the two (this doesn’t exist in Windows, which started out as a consumer product and cannot ever truly be “multi-user”). That is why there will never be a Unix or Linux virus… these have vulnerabilities and malware also exists (malware protection for the Mac OS/X is wrongly packaged as “anti-virus” protection by companies that should know better but can’t resist the marketing advantage of scaring users by using the V-word!) but never a self-replicating virus.

I’m even more amused that Microsoft can churn out buggy software that’s vulnerable to virus infection and riddled with security flaws, and then produce additional software (Live OneCare) to cater for these!

And modern Linux distributions as Windows-like and user-friendly that they are ideal for installing on a PC for a non-IT-aware relative that doesn’t want to have to worry about viruses when sending/receiving e-mails and/or browsing the Web. More and more vendors (e.g. ebuyer.com) sell PCs (and also laptops) without an operating system, so that you can install your own, and you therefore also save the £80 “Windows Tax” that you pay additionally for a Windows-loaded computer – saving money is always a delightful bonus!!

I am still using the original XP, indeed that’s what I am writting this on. As the standard Demon (my ISP) software is Turnpike and this is incompatable with Windows 7. I have a comuter which is nearly a year old but because it has Win 7 on I only use it for surfing or to play Solitare.

I had to replace my computer in June, and bought another one which came with Windows 7 already installed. I was dubious at first, but once I was used to it, I liked it, and would now be hesitant to change back to XP, which I’d been happy with for over five years.

I’ve had an Imac since 2007 and thankfully none of these problems affect OSX. Oh Happy Days.

MsDos was the biggest, most expensive (for the consumer) cul-de-sac in technological history. It still lurks behind every version of Microsoft OS each new manifestation of which is trying to make it less of a turkey From the posts so far it seems they can’t even manage that.

Vista caused me so many problems I ditched my pc after 2 years and purchased an iMac. I just wish I had done it 2 years earlier!

I still run a netbook on XP for a couple of old programmes that will not run on the Mac (I refuse to risk contaminating it by using one of the Windows options). Last week I needed to restore the netbook and ended up paying £40 to get a reloaded programme to work.

I really like XP, and avoided Vista like the plague it was – same for Office 2003 vs 2007.
MS got it right second time around with W7 and Office 2010, but instead of selling an unfinished product they should have had an extended beta period. The two latest products are incarnations of their predecessors with most of the bad bits taken out.
XP is sound, and we still have it on most of the computers at the workplace, but 7 is better on newer machines.
I agree with others re Linux, but couldn’t implement it in the workplace because I don’t have time to teach everyone a new OS. Overall I would say that I was nostalgic but have moved on now.

I’ve been an avid avoider of all things Microsoft since back in the day…

Seem to remember that the comments above are the same as 20 years ago… and also remember that the OS was cyclical with windows 3.1 being ok.. 4 was ****.. 5 was ok, 6 was **** etc…

I hated Publisher for the arrogance of thinking that RGB was ok to foist on the unwary, I dislike Word for becoming too sophisticated and unwieldy when it was originally a great word processing programme. I just like to blame them for all the ills of the world!

Microsoft went the wrong way, they should have bought Apple and or Adobe but I’m glad they didn’t.

I still use XP on both my machines [ desk and laptop ] and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I see no point in switching to XP2012 as my existing version of XP allows me to do all I want to.
My wife has a laptop with Windows 7 on it and it drives me mad when she asks me for technical support.
I used to work in IT support and find the rush to upgrade to the ‘latest’ OS or version of an application as daft as changing your car every year just because a ‘NEW MODEL’ has hit the market place

Windows 7 is vastly superior to Windows XP. It can be made to look like XP if you feel nostalgic.

Now if you want to champion a cause, BRING BACK OFFICE 2003 MENUS.

I am still using XP and as far as I am concerned is still the operating system of choice. It is fast, stable, reliable and secure (if set up correctly). It is the best OS that Microsoft have produced and once they stop producing security updates I would probably switch to Ubuntu or other Linux OS which work fine on single core PC’s.

Forget Vista and their latest OS Windows 7, which is just CPU gobbling bloat-ware that requires a dual core processor or higher to produce equivalent XP or Linux speeds.

Dave

I’m still using XP and am happy with it. I had the option of the then new Vista when my computer was purchased. I decided against an untested product, which seems to have been a good decision.

I’ve seen and briefly used Win7 and am impressed, so will probably choose Win7 for my next computer. My main concern is how much else will I have to replace, and how much time will be required?

I bought a Dell Win7 computer for my sister then discovered her Dell printer would not work with it. Dell confirmed the model would not work with Win7 and offered to sell her a new printer. A tour of the internet showed that in fact the old printer would work with Win7 and is now doing so. It’s the thought of dealing with this type of problem that puts me off changing.

You can have the best of both worlds – retain all the advances brought in with Windows 7 and still have the look and feel of good old Windows XP, by installing one of the free shells that are available – I recommend Classic Shell, which is open-source, easily configurable, and is downloadable from http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

I purchased a new Dell computer with Windows 7 this year thinking it would be much better and faster than my old XP. I spent months on the phone with Dell sorting out different problems, one was a floating curser. To be fair, Dell sent another computer but it has the same problem, so I’m living with that, I just use my old XP computer 99% of the time. I am not technically inclined so I have difficulty finding my files on Windows 7 where XP was so easy to use. Even thought this computer is less than a year old, I’m thinking about having someone load XP on the new computer for me.

Your survey would be better if it asked which operating system participants were currently using. I would be reluctant to drop my current XP Pro for XP 2012 for the simple reason that I wouldn’t want to be a Microsoft tester, which is what people who go for new Microsoft products always are. It is XP but not as we know it Jim. I would want to wait at least 6 months for a couple of service packs to be released. However, if I were a Vista user I would probably be more inclined to take the chance.

No I wouldn’t ditch my my present operating system for Windoze XP, although I use it in emulation. I use OS X.

Like other commentators I am still using XP and have found it to be well behaved and stable, unlike the dreadful 95….
I regularly run System Mechanic, especially after a Windows patch/upgrade session, which seems to clear a fair amount of system clutter and, touch wood, my machine continues to purr along nicely. Vista? Not unless I have to!

No1 No! No! ” VISTA ” is far superior & has never crashed or given any trouble over all the years that I have used it since inseption. I would not ditch” Vista” for any other operating system including Windows 7. which seems to be just a dumbed down version of “Vista”.and at a very high cost.

I would not want a new xp MS would only mess it up but do keep the old xp going for years to come and I think that Atom chip in netbooks 1.6 Ghz is way too slow many have reported their netbooks crashing and locking up with windows 7 starter. Netbooks would need to be 2 or 3 Ghz speed even if the battery life would suffer.

There’s a dreary old saying: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. XP for a vast number of users is a solid, simple and reliable system. Mike Minh is right. For Microsoft, controlling user experience means just that – we’ll tell you what’s available and what we can fix. Otherwise, tough. When I look at the desktop display on my daughter’s W7 machine, I’m amazed that anyone can really find their way around.

I have been using XP Home Edition for many years and find it most reliable and easy to use and understand.
I hope that MS continue to give support for sometime to come and if they decide to re-launch a newer version I will consider it if the price is right.

Windows 7 is just like Vista rehashed. Full of gimmicks and fancy tricks. Aero Snap? There’s a far better version in XP called Tile Horizontally or Tile Vertically that isn’t limited to arranging just two windows but any number you select. There are many good useful features of XP removed and broken in Windows 7. The file manager, Windows Explorer was utterly destroyed in Vista and becomes worse in Windows 7. Poor usability. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_features_removed_in_Windows_7 and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_features_removed_in_Windows_Vista . Unnecessary GUI changes. Vista was innonative but horrible usability wise and removed things. Windows 7 is Vista with few new features and again many features removed and fancy gimmicks and shiny graphics added. Sure it’s more secure and XP is also *secure enough*.

I’d definitely buy new and improved Windows XP if it will have all of the features that are originally installed but new ones will be added like directx 10 and thumbnail size control and aero effects and startup screen customization. I’d prefer it over any OS any day.

Having used windows vista and 7 alot recently i find that both have some very good features but the fact is that i have gone back to windows xp its the most reliable windows operating systam and there is not alot thats not compatable with it.

So in my mind they should add some of the features 7 and vista have ie transparent taskbars ect and either relaunch xp or at least bring out service pack 4 because i fear a rebellion from the people when support ends in 2014 they did when microsft tried to for vista on us so it can and probberly will happen again.

I’m very nostalgic of Windows XP. That 7 is a total CRAP!!! Some day, maybe i will install back my innocent Windows XP!

Im actually 14 y/o as of june 2012, (born ’98), and im nostalgic for windows 95. When I was little,(around 2002) My grandfather gave me an old computer as my first computer which was a windows 95. i set it up myself, but my room didnt have an internet hookup, so I used it for games, like minesweeper,etc. But it didnt last long. about two years later from what i remember, my mom threw it away for no reason, the computer was just fine. RIP windows 95.