It’s almost time to say one final goodbye to Windows Vista as it approaches its end of life (EOL) date in just four weeks.
Microsoft will be removing support for the Windows version on April 11, 2017, and so the 0.78% of users still in the grip of Vista will need to seriously considering moving on before then (via).
The company is making no bones about the fact that a new laptop or PC is the way you should go. After all, there is no free upgrade path on offer for Vista users where Windows 10 is concerned.
Anyone that wants to stay with the same machine either needs to buy Windows 8 or 10, or move to an alternative like Linux or Remix OS.
Related: Best Linux distro for old laptops
For those that choose to continue using Vista, Microsoft will no longer provide any protection.
“If you continue to use Windows Vista after support has ended, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses,” Microsoft said. “Internet Explorer 9 is no longer supported, so if your Windows Vista PC is connected to the Internet and you use Internet Explorer 9 to surf the web, you might be exposing your PC to additional threats.”
Vista’s journey to its virtual grave has been far less publicised than XP, which was used by large swathes of the Windows user base prior to its EOL back in 2014.
Upon its release in January 2007, TrustedReviews’ Jonathan Bray reviewed Vista and gave the ‘hardware hungry beast’ a weighty 4.5 stars, urging gamers to jump aboard from XP right away.
Gamers are unlikely to get any juice out of Vista these days for anything beyond a quick blast on FIFA ’98.
If you’re one of the small minority still using Vista then it really is high time to treat yourself to a new laptop.
Related: Windows 10 review
Are you a part of the forgotten 0.78%? Let us know why in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
