No need to fret over demise of Windows XP

Microsoft will no longer offer support for the XP version of its Windows operating system, still in use on nearly one-third of Windows PCs. Microsoft will no longer offer support for the XP version of its Windows operating system, still in use on nearly one-third of Windows PCs. Photo: Paul Sakuma, AP Photo: Paul Sakuma, AP Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close No need to fret over demise of Windows XP 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Everyone seems alarmed that, as of April 8, Microsoft no longer will provide technical support for Windows XP. They shouldn't be. The company has been trying to kill off its old but still widely used operating system for several years now.

Consider, for example, that since 2011, updated versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser have not worked on Windows XP. And if you're running XP on your computer, you won't be able to run the latest versions of Microsoft Office.

Interestingly, other browsers, including Firefox and Chrome, work fine with XP, as do free office software such as OpenOffice and LibreOffice.

The real problem (for Microsoft) is not that Windows XP is three generations old, having been succeeded by Vista, Windows 7 and now Windows 8. It's that despite the company's best efforts to bump it off, XP is still the OS on nearly one-third of all Windows computers. And the refusal of users to abandon it is hurting sales of Windows 8.

In pulling the plug on Windows XP, Microsoft strongly implied that users should either upgrade to Windows 8 or buy a new computer (with Windows 8 on it). The company said that sticking with XP after technical support is withdrawn could leave computers vulnerable to security risks and viruses, and that users can expect to encounter more apps and devices that won't work with XP.

I've received a lot of e-mail from panicked XP users - to whom I say, relax. You don't need Microsoft for technical support. You can protect your computer with a good antivirus program, like the free versions of Ad-Aware, Avast and AVG. And don't worry about apps and devices. Most software is available now in the cloud - making it compatible with any operating system - and most printers, routers and other devices you're likely to need will work with XP.

Q: Lately, a majority of the posts on my Facebook news feed come from just a few people. That wouldn't be so bad except that these are "friends" I knew years ago and no longer stay in touch with, and the stuff they put online is silly, boring, or both. I don't want to "unfriend" them, but at the same time I don't want their musings taking over my account. Is their a way to hide all their comments?

A: Indeed there is. In fact, you can "unfollow" a friend faster than Putin can annex Crimea. Just hover your mouse over the person's profile image (to the left of the comment), and uncheck the "Following" button. To stop following a group, point to its name above the comment and do the same thing.

Q: My husband and I are retired and travel frequently. While he does a travel journal (by e-mailing himself), I track our expenses on paper. Neither method is satisfactory. We use our iPads while traveling and are looking for apps that would meet these needs. Do you know of any?

A: Your new best friend might be Evernote, the popular free app for remembering everything. Evernote's app for iPads will let your husband create his travel journal by taking notes along the way. He can also add audio clips or photos to his notes (Evernote works in conjunction with the iPad's camera). You can use Evernote to snap photos of expense receipts and store them as notes.

Later, you can log onto the Evernote website - either on an iPad or your home computer - to access the journal notes and receipts.

One suggestion: Because you travel a lot, consider upgrading to Evernote Premium. It costs $5 per month (or $45 per year), but it lets you access your notes offline, without a data connection.

Q: I'm trying to find out how to print envelopes in Word 2013. With Word 2007, I used the envelope printing feature under "Tools". Where is the feature in Word 2013?

A: Go to the File menu, click New and choose "Blank document." Then click Mailings, followed by Envelopes. Follow the instructions from there.

That's the official way, but for years I've used an alternate method that seems easier.

I open a new Word file, change the page orientation to Landscape (to make it print sideways), then enter the address and return address on the page in positions that will print correctly on an envelope fed lengthwise into the printer. It takes a bit of trial and error, but once you get it right, you can use the document as a template for future mailings.