windows xp or windows 7?

Notmyrealname

rmg1 wrote: »

However, providing Windows firewall (at least) is on and you don't go randomly clicking on links, you'll be reasonably safe.

Windows Firewall is disabled by so many viruses and trojans its not even funny.

Given the possible number of IP addresses, I think the chances of being hacked are fairly slim (although my sympathies go to those who have been).

It doesn't work that way around. Usually malware is planted on the computer via malicious web script or email. That then broadcasts to a hackers server and they get you that way. Thats why they call them trojans - the malware works like a trojan horse.

Notmyrealname

wapow wrote: »

IF you dont know what youre doing.

Otherwise XP is still the best OS to date.

It doesnt take much. Just need to know what software you need, what to run at startup and what to disable in IE.

Done.

As long as you're not on a laptop with the wifi turned on and out of range of known networks or if on your home desktop you're not connected by wifi and your wifi doesn't go down...

spud17

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

IE9 on XP slowed down my system,

Could you please explain? Is it a typo?

Because, according to Microsoft, IE9 doesn't work on XP.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/forum/ie9-windows_other/ie9-for-xp-why-doesnt-internet-explorer-9-work-on/e8113f20-b149-4763-b4d4-562d1da524b6

atrixblue.-MFR-.

spud17 wrote: »

Could you please explain? Is it a typo?

Because, according to Microsoft, IE9 doesn't work on XP.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/forum/ie9-windows_other/ie9-for-xp-why-doesnt-internet-explorer-9-work-on/e8113f20-b149-4763-b4d4-562d1da524b6

it came through on an update on my old XP system, it did work but very poorly, i had trouble removing it also but i got there in the end. i then went searching for the old cache file backup file and any hidden folders as IE8 wouldnt reintall untill those were gone because it kept telling me there was a newer version installed.

my system would run it because i had a modern graphics card and direct2d was there in the utilities for it

cit_k

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

it came through on an update on my old XP system, it did work but very poorly, i had trouble removing it also but i got there in the end. i then went searching for the old cache file backup file and any hidden folders as IE8 wouldnt reintall untill those were gone because it kept telling me there was a newer version installed.

my system would run it because i had a modern graphics card and direct2d was there there,

IE9 on xp????

atrixblue.-MFR-.

cit_k wrote: »

IE9 on xp????

like i said, it came through in an update and installed when i shut down.

in my graphics card utilities and drivers it intalled direct2d, but it was extremely poor. i spent more time removing it than using it had to install mozilla in the meantime.

marleyboy

OP, have you considered partitioning your HD and using both XP and Win7?

I have a netbook running win7 Starter edition - A very limited version with too many restrictions to make it worthwhile.

I have a laptop with Win7 Ultimate, and a desktop that runs both Win7 Pro and XP pro. Both my Windows 7 OS have been compromised in past, a lot more regularly than my XP.

XP is still my favourite when it comes to technical ability, stability and play. Win7 Starter is ok for a standard netbook, if all you are using it for is to go online or write a document. Win7 Ultimate is useful for gameplay and\or technical support.

Security wise, they are each as equally compromising, a hacker or trojan\virus creator will always be one step ahead of the game, its why we are constantly having to update our critical security programs.

XP is easier to clean\repair as a result of infectious virus's, yet each OS is only as secure as the person using them. I favour XP over Win7 for its technical support, range of available downloads and stability.

Win7 (and no doubt likewise with Win8) is still having teething troubles, is no safer from trojans than XP and still has the nasty habit of crashing at those critical moments.

There is no doubt Win7 is faster than XP, is a lot tidier and inevitably is more up to date when it comes to hardware installation. But that is about as far as it goes.

It boils down to preferences, sticking with XP is as safe as upgrading to Win7, its solely a matter of which you are more comfortable using.

Notmyrealname

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

it came through on an update on my old XP system,

No it didn't.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Notmyrealname wrote: »

No it didn't.

ok if you say so, i didnt know you were here when it did it i thought it was just me!

dont tell me what my system did or didnt do, i have had many updates through that should never have been XP available.

tombruton87

if you keep java uptodate there are very few exploits for home users. Just putting that out there as a java dev. Also it runs in its own vm so a Java program wouldn't be the best way to write a virus. Guess there is probably a lot of malware written in it tho. Buffer overflow attacks that where super common should be less so now especially with a fully updated machine. Also they would be OS specific.

The OP is obv ok with installing OS's. Have you thought about using a friendly linux distro such as ubuntu or mint.

Libre office rocks now and has probably 95% of microsoft office functionality.

Loads of great media players with lots of codec support.

looks great and you can tweak it to exactly how u want it.

it isn't a resource hog.

new versions I havnt even had to install a driver to get to work properly. System update will auto find the best drivers for you.

GIMP has all the features 95% of ppl need for advanced image editing. You can use wine to run a lot of windows stuff.

Oh yea you won't need to worry about security. Im not saying linux is 100% secure but its a lot harder work to exploit. hackers know most ppl use the software centre or apt get so that would spoil there efforts and it just doesn't have the market share to warrant attacking. plus its the OS of choice for 90% of hackers.

Can you think of any reason not to use Linux instead of windows.

im guessing your not going to be playing high end games on your netbook