Windows 9 should be appearing sometime next year and on the one good next bad and so on that MS seem to do, maybe it will be a good un. I'm on XP and if I do change I think it would be to 7, give 8 a miss and try 9 ( money permitting).
I gave Linux a go (probably not long enough of a go) and didn't get on with it.
It was Ubuntu, I believe there are easier ones these days to make the switch.

Judging by the blue warnings popping up today on youtubes saying IE8 won't be supported by youtube soon, the pressure on XP will grow - unless its a cunning plan by youtube's owners to force people to their own browser if XP can't handle any higher then IE8

...with their controversial Unity desktop interface (compare Win 8 ). I'm pleased to say that there are now quite a few Linux distributions around now that wouldn't frighten the children and horses, e.g. LXLE (on my ex-XP laptop now), Zorin, Linux Mint Cinnamon, Linux Mint Mate ("Matay" after some south American leaf brew or something) and their menu navigation systems are more familiar to Windows users although there'll still be a bit of a learning curve.


Certainly Microsoft's been repeatedly telling every XP user that the universe will collapse unless they upgrade to Win 8/8.1 (double ) which is an extreme exaggeration since a combination of careful safe surfing and a good firewall and antivirus package will probably keep XP going for another couple of years until the antivirus suppliers stop supporting XP (they will eventually, e.g. I only found one that still supports Win 98!).

As for IE8, that to some extent applies too but it's worth not using any version of IE since that's the most targeted browser by hackers and their malware. That advice doubly applies to any remaining XP users who ought to change to Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc. at the earliest opportunity.

I can't say I have tried it but it does look a good dual boot candidate.
http://techposts.org/install-android...mputer-laptop/

Android for virus free net operation and XP for your essential legacy work.

That might be OK for leisure use but for productivity on a desktop PC then a dual boot (or complete replacement) by a later version of Windows or one of the many versions of Linux, such as Zorin, Linux Mint, etc., would seem to be the better option under those circumstances.

I've just got an update for XP

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - July 2014 (KB890830)

You'll keep getting the malicious software removal tool update every month.

...and Microsoft will continue to distribute MSRT for Windows XP users until July 2015 so there's just under a year left.

According to netmarketshare.com, XP still has a 24.82% operating system market share in July (a quarter for all practical purposes) and there's only been a slight decline in XP's use compared with June.

If anyone is still using XP, there's a podcast discussion of Linux alternatives right here: PC A-Team ::: Linux for Windows XP Users

Best option is Windows 7 for the casual user, Linux is something if you fancy a challenge but most people will want a start menu environment and something that is familiar.

Windows 7 (or 8/8.1 with Start Is Back providing that the equipment is compatible) would make for a good XP replacement but modern Linux variants such as Zorin, Linux Mint Cinnamon, Linux Mint Mate, Kubuntu, etc. would be easily recognisable and usable by ex-Windows users and certainly easier to deal with than raw, naked Metro Windows 8. There's also the great advantage of never having to be afraid of Cryptolocker or similar either.

The biggest problem with Linux can be getting peripherals like printers, scanners, some wireless cards to work.

It can be hit or miss and often if you poke around on forums etc. you can find drivers, but installing them can be a faff. That is what puts people off Linux at least the casual user.

If they could get their act together and make companies provide Linux drivers as standard I think Linux would be a lot more popular.

To be fair, things have much improved in recent years in respect of driver support in the more popular Linux distributions so that, for example, wireless connections, printers, etc. will be easily recognised. Free Linux operating systems may be particularly useful for people who, for whatever reason, cannot afford to upgrade their equipment to Windows 8's hardware requirements since Linux operating systems generally require less system resources.

First time I tried (Ubuntu) I just used it from the CD and it was very slow so ... I installed it onto a partition on the hard drive ..... result quicker.
As it was a fair few years ago I'm not sure what problems I had, I suppose it being so different to Windows was the number one problem. Navigating the hard drive I found difficult, internet was a breeze ... can't remember driver problems (but there's lots of things I don't remember ).
My big problem came when I wanted to remove Ubuntu from my hard drive to just leave XP.

I messed up, Ubuntu somehow became (prob my fault ) the operating system with the MBR so when I removed it, XP would not boot.

I tried various ways to get it working, lots of googling and even came on here for advice !!
I ran all sorts of rescue disks including Hirens and UBCD to no avail.

Within a week of that not working I got the one I'm using now, ex school given away when they were doing an upgrade. I must reformat the hard drive and put Linux on the old one and try again.
I hear the school maybe upgrading again soon .... just hope they didn't go from XP to Vista .

According to netmarketshare.com, there has been a miniscule decline in use of Windows XP from 23.89% operating system market share in August 2014 to 23.87% in September. There was also a small increase in Windows 7's market share and it's by far the most popular operating system with 52.71% overall market share.

It is surprising to see that XP's use has effectively been static for a couple of months despite it having been unsupported for 6 months. That situation might change next year when software suppliers themselves stop supporting XP, e.g. Avira.

In places like africa where theres a lot of donated machine they'll be XP machines and they won't have the money to upgrade, also XP is still supported on the embedded side for a few more years so those POS tills/cash machines may still be being counted as it takes a lot of time/effort to ensure that the new system won't be hackable

There is also a lot of people who've got XP machines for things like media centres and are quite happy with it and consider them more like a dvd player in that they'll replace it when it breaks

It is worth noting that October was the last month for Windows 7.

Whilst still supported, you can only buy Windows 7 Professional, the obvious reason being that business's have critical applications and so are not so easy to manipulate.

For the first time, netmarketshare.com is reporting that Windows XP use has fallen below 20% at 17.18%. I'm surprised that so many people are still using this unsupported operating system.

Both Windows 7 (53.05%) and the combined Windows 8/8.1 (16.80%) increased their market shares in October although Windows 8/8.1 are only just behind Windows XP's figure and could surpass it when November's statistics are released.

A lot of XP machines are on business networks, like the NHS. They are hopefully locked down enough to be safe.

However, a lot of home users would be unaware if their XP PCs were riddled with malware and sending out spam.

At least the NHS and other organisations and enterprises are likely to be covered by those somewhat expensive extended support arrangements from Microsoft. The same cannot be said for domestic XP users although Microsoft's still supplying the monthly Malicious Software Removal Tool updates but that will cease in spring next year if I recall correctly.

That'll be about the same time that some antivirus providers will stop supporting Windows XP. The prime New Year's resolution 2015 for remaining domestic XP users ought to be to go out and find a new operating system.

Would the same not be true with some home users on Vista, 7 or 8 ?

I know XP is more susceptible without Microsoft support apart from the malicious software removal tool but I think most antivirus companies are continuing support for the time being.
Avira has added on a year and due to stop support in April 2015. After that I would say the games up (for me anyway) and time to move on.

Its been 7 months since XP support ended but I haven't seen the scare stories materialise, mind you I've not been looking for them .

Edit:
Just saw this .... my son asked me today what I might like for Christmas computer related ... I replied instantly ''a new computer'', maybe if we club together was his reply ....... fingers crossed and all that.

Well, LION8TIGER, your son could solve that one by buying a Linux Mint Cinnamon DVD or USB stick (https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl...60650460380644) which could be used as an entire replacement for XP or as a dual boot XP/Linux Mint set up with only Linux Mint being used to access the internet.

You can still buy most versions of win 7
http://www.scan.co.uk/shop/computer-.../677/1311/1300
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Wi.../dp/B002DUCMT2

Why buy any version of Linux, they are free to download

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

Solve what exactly, he's grown up and earning so buying his dad a DVD or USB flash drive as a present just woudn't cut the mustard and anyway I'd inform him it was a waste of money when I could just download them.
I tried Ubuntu some years ago, first running from a DVD I had burned (painfully slow) and then dual booting with XP. I didn't really get on with it and also had a problem uninstalling it, it took the MBR with it so XP wouldn't boot, obviously I didn't follow the correct procedure but it put me off.
I'm sure Linux has improved a lot since then so may try again ..... but I'd rather have a wrapped up new Windows tower than a flash drive ... its bigger !!!

EDIT:
I'm a slow typer as you may have gathered but yes agreed.

Good question, 1saintly. ISO disc burning is fine by me (indeed I provided instructions earlier on in this very thread) but sometimes the easiest thing to do is just shove in a ready made DVD, etc. which, being Linux, is only a marginal cost unlike the cost of a new Windows OS (double ).