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Yapyap · 04-12-2013, 10:52 AM

I'm still on a six year old desktop running Windows XP, and I dread the day I have to get a new desktop - probably next year, if XP support runs out then.

I'd hope I can still get a Windows 7 desktop then; if not, I'm in trouble as the majority of tools/programs we use for work don't run on Windows 8 or run with problems. (These are proprietary, custom-made tools by our clients, who require using very specific versions and builds of their own tools, so it's not a case of "can probably find something similar that would work".)

I have a fairly new laptop with Windows 7 as my backup computer and for use with those work tools that won't run on XP, but even a laptop (business grade Dell, 15.6'' monitor, full keyboard with numpad) is dreadful for work purposes - I need much more screen space and a large keyboard for starters. I suppose I could use a docking station but as I work from home and don't ever carry the laptop with me, it would be pretty useless - especially as I also need a lot of hard drive space.

So... yeah. I'm just hoping that good desktops won't be going away any time soon. And that Windows 7 is still available next year (we also have a few tools that don't run on Windows 7 and require Windows XP, but they do run in Windows XP Mode on Windows 7 Pro so that would be solvable, if not ideal).

I have an iPad which I use for web surfing when away from the desktop, e.g. to quickly look something up or check some social networks while in bed reading on the Kindle, but I can't imagine using it as my primary computing tool - even if I didn't have very specific requirements that make a desktop the optimal device, even typing tweets is irritating on the virtual keyboard, never mind any longer texts.

04-12-2013, 10:52 AM	#54
Yapyap Guru Posts: 861 Karma: 3543721 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Estonia Device: Kindle Paperwhite, iPad 3, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge	I'm still on a six year old desktop running Windows XP, and I dread the day I have to get a new desktop - probably next year, if XP support runs out then. I'd hope I can still get a Windows 7 desktop then; if not, I'm in trouble as the majority of tools/programs we use for work don't run on Windows 8 or run with problems. (These are proprietary, custom-made tools by our clients, who require using very specific versions and builds of their own tools, so it's not a case of "can probably find something similar that would work".) I have a fairly new laptop with Windows 7 as my backup computer and for use with those work tools that won't run on XP, but even a laptop (business grade Dell, 15.6'' monitor, full keyboard with numpad) is dreadful for work purposes - I need much more screen space and a large keyboard for starters. I suppose I could use a docking station but as I work from home and don't ever carry the laptop with me, it would be pretty useless - especially as I also need a lot of hard drive space. So... yeah. I'm just hoping that good desktops won't be going away any time soon. And that Windows 7 is still available next year (we also have a few tools that don't run on Windows 7 and require Windows XP, but they do run in Windows XP Mode on Windows 7 Pro so that would be solvable, if not ideal). I have an iPad which I use for web surfing when away from the desktop, e.g. to quickly look something up or check some social networks while in bed reading on the Kindle, but I can't imagine using it as my primary computing tool - even if I didn't have very specific requirements that make a desktop the optimal device, even typing tweets is irritating on the virtual keyboard, never mind any longer texts.