Windows 7...

[Mike Mercury]

is still running on at least 100 million PCs

https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/6/22...tats-analytics

Windows 7 appears to still be running on at least 100 million machines, despite Microsoft ending support for the operating system a year ago. ZDNet has been analyzing the proportion of PCs still running Windows 7 across various analytics reports. While each data source pegs Windows 7 at different percentages of market share, most agree that the OS still makes up for around 20 percent of PCs.

Microsoft has said for years that there are 1.5 billion users of Windows across multiple versions worldwide. It’s difficult to get an exact number of Windows 7 users owing to the different methods used by analytics companies, but it’s at least 100 million. If you drop Microsoft’s estimate of 1.5 billion users of Windows to just a billion (there are 1 billion active Windows 10 users), then Windows 7 is still on a massive amount of PCs. In reality, it could still be in use by more than 200 million devices worldwide.

Support for Windows 7 ended in January 2020, nearly 11 years after the OS first launched with its “I’m a PC, and Windows 7 was my idea” marketing campaign. It quickly became a massively popular version of Windows, especially with businesses. It was clear from looking at the market share of the operating system last year that it would take a year or two to get Windows 7 firmly below 10 percent market share.

It may take even longer for Windows 7 to finally disappear, especially after a year when many have turned to PCs for remote working and home schooling. Microsoft reported an increase in PC demand and usage due to the pandemic. It’s likely that part of that PC usage also came from households dusting off old PCs and laptops they haven’t used frequently, and some of these devices could still be running Windows 7.

It’s clear that the pandemic has also influenced the PC market over the past year. We’re still waiting on PC estimates from Gartner and IDC, but some analysts believe we could have seen nearly 300 million PCs shipped in 2020 alone. That would be a significant change for the PC market, after PCs saw a first year of growth since 2011 during 2019. That growth was boosted by the end of Windows 7 support, and most analysts didn’t expect the market to grow even further throughout 2020.

[Rodnok1]

I have several running 7 or older, some software will not run on newer OS. Keep a laptop running 2000 in barn just for scanner to hook to.

[DJ_Critterus]

Yep. Tis true. there are programs out there that just aren't compatible with Win 8, 8.1, or 10. I have that problem at work with some Cardio Vascular Echo machines and just now upgraded to new computers with win10 because new software was released. The three standalone off-network computers I replaced were 2007 iMacs running Win7.

[snide]

I still use XP in a VM, as well as a Win7 in a VM. Occasionally.

[Aerovette]

If anyone wants to accidentally provide me a copy of Windows 7 I won't complain. My favorite photo editing software won't work on 8 or newer.

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by snide

I still use XP in a VM, as well as a Win7 in a VM. Occasionally.

VM is the way to go. My organization is moving to VDI in the classrooms and the software available changes based on the student's profile and what classes are being taken at the time. It's ****ing great from a tech support stand point. Much less work on bullshit updates and reloading machines if a single point of failure in the hardware goes out.

And yep, we still support some limited Win7 this way, too.

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by aerovette

If anyone wants to accidentally provide me a copy of Windows 7 I won't complain. My favorite photo editing software won't work on 8 or newer.

I'll check when i get home, but I'm pretty sure I have an unlocked version of Win7 Enterprise in one of my old DVD binders.

[Wathen1955]

I'm running mostly 10, but I have 1 machine still on 7 Pro which I won't upgrade. If I wasn't a gamer, I would probably move to using Linux Mint. I already have a spare laptop with Mint installed to check it out. I started with Mint 17.x about 3 years ago, then upgraded to 18.x, upgraded again to 19.x and finally to 20.x.

I also have several VM's that I run: Win XP, Win 7, Win 10 LTSC, Linux Mint 18, and old DOS 6.2.

[MadInNc]

Still running desktop on 7. Don’t want to give up Media Center

I’m sure 10 will take the all-in-one desktop I have to it’s knee’s

[z06psi]

Originally Posted by MadInNc

Still running desktop on 7. Don’t want to give up Media Center



I’m sure 10 will take the all-in-one desktop I have to it’s knee’s

Cheap ****.

[dvarapala]

Shit, we still have things running MS-DOS and Windows 3.1.

[z06psi]

Originally Posted by dvarapala

Shit, we still have things running MS-DOS and Windows 3.1.

Who?

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by dvarapala

Shit, we still have things running MS-DOS and Windows 3.1.

I have an old laptop, 80286 ???, with dedicated DOS for old programs. These programs won't run in a Win DOS command window; mainly due to a too fast processor.

[snide]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

I have an old laptop, 80286 ???, with dedicated DOS for old programs. These programs won't run in a Win DOS command window; mainly due to a too fast processor.

When we moved, I tossed out my original IBM PC XT which had been modded to have a 386 chip and a 60MB(!) hard drive. I did keep my Compaq Portable III, which has seen many trips across Canada. I wonder if it still works. I also still have a Dell laptop from 1998. I wonder if that still works.

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by snide

I still use XP in a VM, as well as a Win7 in a VM. Occasionally.

I know of 2 instances at companies where I used to work that have NT running in a VM....I shit you not.

[Rodnok1]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

I know of 2 instances at companies where I used to work that have NT running in a VM....I shit you not.

Hell we ran xp on a Windows card emulator on unix systems. Slow as hell. Total shit show.

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by snide

I also still have a Dell laptop from 1998. I wonder if that still works.

weren't they called "PC's Limited" back then ?

[snide]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

weren't they called "PC's Limited" back then ?

1998, not 1988.