Changing Operating Systems is obviously impossible, toss em all in the trash…
Make sure to leave all your passwords and personal data on them as well.
I have a perfectly functioning PC (that will very likely be still perfectly usable by 2025) that cannot be upgraded to Win 11 because MS has for some strange reason put quite harsh but completely artificial hardware requirements on W11 that only CPUs manufactured in the last 3-4 years meet. And before you say “You can switch to Linux”, no I can’t. Not with the software I use for work. And then there’s gaming of course…
(Now, I bought a new PC recently, so I’m fine for the foreseeable future but not everyone can either afford it or simply feels the need to upgrade their computer)
there is virtualization so you can run windows on it and work with those pesky proprietary softwares, but yeah performance will never be better than running things directly (except games with shitty directx implementation that run better with dxvk, ie sekiro, elden ring), albeit it can get really close. If you’re into tinkering, this will not be a problem.
on that topic, I was considering giving cassowary a try since my partner uses some windows only software too, looked promising.
then there is the game problem, but really, unless you play something that uses anticheat that doesn’t support proton, you’re good to go.
I’ve been gaming on it for over three years now.
All the limitations can be bypassed easily, if you use Rufus (the program) and a windows 11 iso to make the usb installer it asks to disable telemetry and tpm requirements when you make the usb.
Source: running windows 11 on my old overclocked intel x5690 since the betas came out
For your average and below user, it wasn’t part of the deal on purchase.
I really doubt an average Joe would buy a new computer once the old OS goes end-of-life. Joe would just continue using an EOL system and hope everything is alright.
Having worked in tech fields, legacy devices as old as 20 years can pop up occasionally, functioning or not. Once was told a story where this tech was hired to fix a highschool bell system and the whole thing was running on windows 98. This took place in 2015 or so
The restaurant I work at still uses Windows XP on one of its main tills. It breaks down and freezes constantly.
I work in a field that is considered by many high tech. I have personally seen a system in use today that duel boots windows 2000 and windows 98.
The product it’s used by is old generations and the system does not have any network access but still must be supported by government regulation for several more years…
“Duel boots” lol… now I’m imagining a sword fight going on in the BIOS
Yeah there’s a lot of MRI machines out there where the brains are running windows 98
I think it was 2017 we got rid of our last system running freedos in a console since the original program required do to operate…
Few years ago there was a story in a local paper about building automation systems running on Commadore 64 and still doing fine. Build by some company in the 80’s. They weren’t online, so no security issues.
Tried to find the article online but no luck. It would have been in local language anyway.
Even if they was online, I doubt a lot of people have the knowledge for hack a commodore 64.
Linux to the rescue!
XP is still used in a surprising amount of places so I doubt it.
Big Landfill once again pulling the invisible strings.
Meanwhile, Apple’s refusal to support computers only three years old has been far, far worse for the environment.
Neither are good prospects… being wasteful has become completely ingrained in North American society
