JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques General Technical Forum Goodbye Google Chrome

Ever since Windows stopped supporting XP I've been getting messages from Google Chrome saying that they will no longer be providing updates for the browser because my hardware is no longer compatible.

The browser has been acting squirrely lately so I decided to remove it and reinstall. Guess what. I couldn't reinstall Chrome. I guess they don't like my old kerosine computer anymore. I'm not a rich person and can't afford a new computer. I have to live with what I have for the time being.

Luckily I installed Foxfire and it seems to be working OK for now. It's not that I don't want a new computer, but I'm of the belief that "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Especially it you can't afford to fix it.

Any thoughts on these company's forcing people to buy new computers?

I am a bit like you trying to keep things as long as possible rather than encourage the throw away society. I fought it for a long time because I did not want to reconfigure my recording studio!

The truth is though that the new computers are way faster and more capable than those of only a few years back and when you upgrade, it is like night and day. The software companies just don't want to spend time and money maintaining something that is nowhere near as good as their new stuff. It's like comparing your 1964 Studebaker to a new Lexus except that it takes 5 years instead of 50 years for that kind of change to occur.

Aw, Yes,
Getting and setting up a new computer with all the bookmarks and what not is a pain to say the least. I am using a 2005 Computer at present XP for the Internet. Some places I go say my Browser Internet Explorer 8 is no longer supported. I do have Google Chrome I use for some things that is updated from The Other Browser. That old song TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING is ringing in my head.

Just got a new computer. It's actually home made by a geek that I know. It's a lot faster and Windows IE and Chrome run fine. My old one was so old that it had Windows 98 on it when I got it.

Good for you, Ben:

I wish Linux was not so tech dependent... 'cause I'd love to ditch Windows and Apple and use something that would last without constant upgrades and more moolah. Sooner or later, I guess I'll have to break down and take a course on all the ins and outs of Linux. Getting all the parts and elements to shake hands and work without requiring me to be a programmer would really be nice.

Don't get me started on Google. (I call it Gargoyle... because it is tracking every move you make... probably reporting to the IRS and NSA as well.) My trust in the Internet and PC industry in general are at an all time low.

It is especially sad that some enterprising soul or company has not acquired the rights to Windows XP so they could ditch Microsoft and provide the most stable and dependable operating system we have experienced during this adventure with personal computers. Oh well, at least we are free to gripe about this sort of thing... for now!

Dave

It can never be if you like it you can keep it.
I have Flock and do not have near the issues.
Are these other browsers like the aftermentioned and opera to go in that heap?
Firefox went from being a fine replacement to ie to now being as unmanagable. Though there are still those that sware by it.

I notice when European governments switched more over to Windows based systems that the freedom of choice in operating systems went way down.
I would rather be an optimist and say "hooray!" for progress.

Well, at least it might stop them up a little with spying on people for a day.

Chrome is crap, bloated and about as safe as explorer (not saying much there).....firefox is the way to go, for now anyway (IMHO). You're much better off without it.

Hardware in this day and age is so cheap.

Add free, open source software and you have a decent laptop running the latest stuff for a few hundred dollars.

It really is worthwhile to upgrade.

I just bought this one to run our main TV for $350 Cdn. Allows me to stream lots of free\legal stuff, and it replaces my DVD player....

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc...nd-netbooks/lenovo-b50-30-1264164/review

Its a UK review, but it is available, I assume, in the US. Otherwise, I have to think you can get a good, low cost laptop in the US.

Add an office suite for word processing etc, totally free and compatible with MS Office. This is my choice https://www.libreoffice.org/

Add a Garageband clone like https://lmms.io/ again, totally free, or Audacity, also open source and free http://audacity.sourceforge.net/


Get other useful open source software, totally free from http://sourceforge.net/


And you find there is no need to hang on to old hardware when you can get so much now, new, for a few hundred bucks


Now IF XP still works and does everything you need, of course keep it, but for a very reasonable cost, you can get as up to date as you can get

John is right. Covered wagons still work, but modern highways don't support them. At some point it makes sense to move forward, XP was great in its day, but the latest viruses going around that allows ransomware (built by the CIA of course like most viruses out there and blamed on other ) took down the british hospital systems and many other companies who refused to upgrade past XP. Now they are hopelessly locked out of their system until ransom is paid, apparently to the chinese who launched it against the world, but anyone can blame anyone, so most likely when you see the "russians" or "chinese" did it, it's just as likely it was from the US or UK or elsewhere. XP is now totally at risk for quick loss of everything, your files, any info/passwords you have ever typed in and loss of the hardware as well, anytime you're on line or using email you're at risk. Rather than to keep riding that covered wagon until a semi truck plows you over, you should invest in something made this century. You can find refurbished cpus that will leave your system in the dust or a 100 bucks or less all over the net if money is that tight. Think of the hours you use it, that's not much investment for something you spend so much time on. Anything else is just being stubborn, which is fine, but one day there will be blood. Yours. And you'll wish you had moved on.

Brian

Not sure how much this helps with web security, but every time I leave the computer I clear the browsing & download history, form & search history, cookies, cache, active logins, offline website data, and site preferences. Hopeful this is a good habit I’ve gotten into.Don't know...

John

We can still find you John; watch for the silent black helicopters......

Yikes!

Whazzat?,
Covered Wagons still work? You ain't seen the Amish or whoever they are that still don't use electricity and still use horses and buggies to get around! Well don't click on suspicious E-Mails and you will be all right.

I'm afraid the drugged-out masses won't survive Ray. After all the stores are looted-out (including drug stores, hospitals, old age homes, etc), the robbing and killing of the private sector would start. Actually most the Amish use electricity. Many have their own generators, but would soon run out of gas.

John