Microsoft is pulling the plug on Windows 7?

Mainstream Windows 7 support will end in 6 months

| Source: Microsoft Author: Mark Campbell

Mainstream Windows 7 support is ending soon.

Every Windows product has lifecycle, I'm sure everybody remembers when Windows XP's ended earlier this year, now Microsoft has dated the end of the lifecycles of Windows Vista to even Windows 8.

The most Noteworthy of the Operating systems listed is undoubtedly Windows 7, which is acclaimed as being one of Microsoft's best operating Systems to date. Many enthusiasts even install Windows 7 onto systems with Windows 8 or 8.1 already installed.

When the time comes Microsoft pulls support for each OS, no longer providing automatic updates, fixes and even online technical support. Without this support you will no longer receive vital security updates to help protect your PC from harmful viruses, malware and spyware, so it is in your best interest to use an OS which is receiving this support.

So what about Windows 7?

Windows 7 will be losing its mainstream support on January 13th 2015, which is just over 6 months away, from then it will no longer be receiving updated features or performance improvements unless you are covered by extended support, which only applies to business users. Note that security patches will still remain, so there is no need to bin your Windows 7 Licences just yet, but no further improvements will be made to the OS. Please remember to update your Windows 7 OS to the latest service pack to receive security updates from this date.

Extended support for Windows 7 will officially end on January 14th 2020, so Microsoft have 5 years to make an OS to please the current Windows 7 fanbase. This date will force a lot of consumers to change OS, which to most people means they will need a new PC. For Business users this is more startling as the many companies who made a costly move from Windows XP to 7 in the past few months/years will only be able to use their expensive new systems safely for another 5 years, given that many companies chose to avoid the newer but less user friendly Windows 8 OS.

Hopefully within the next few years Microsoft will release Windows 9 and it will be to Windows 8 what Windows 7 was to Vista, so that Windows 7 lovers will have a worthy OS upgrade path when the time comes.

To discuss Microsoft's support of Windows 7 further please go to the OC3D Forums.

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