Do I need these programs in Windows XP

I am doing a clean install. Do I need the following programs as a home user of XP?

Silverlight
Power shell
Windows live essentials

Do they interact with any other programs

 

Silverlight is a browser plug-in by Microsoft similar to Adobe Flash. The latest version that will run on XP is 4 and Microsoft stopped support on Jan 8, 2013 so no more updates. The only way to watch Netflix in Windows XP is in your web browser with the Silverlight plug-in - If you don't watch Netflix on XP, you can skip Silverlight install.

Windows Live essentials has a bunch of utilities (Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Writer (discontinued Jan 2017). The Movie Maker was a pretty decent Video Editor while Photo Gallery was a pretty good photo editor, organizer and album. Mail was just a mail client. These are all optional and not required.

Powershell is a scripting tool for advanced users - optional install but won't hurt to install

 

Please note that silverlight is still getting updates even on XP.The latest version for xp is from 2016 but its still updated to this day

This doesnt even install even from MS update....Because they used an online installler for it but they closed the servers a long time ago

 

I have a slip-streamed XP SP3 install CD that has Windows live offline installer so I never had to go online to install it. It's true that MS has removed it for downloading so you will have to find a third-party site to get it from. The Movie Maker is worth it but I have also heard positive things about the Photo Gallery and Mail client.


Admittedly I don't have Silverlight installed on my XP machine - I merely went by Microsoft's Silverlight 5 compatibility chart which makes no mention of Windows XP (they do mention Windows Embedded and POS which are special non-consumer versions of XP).

According to Microsoft Silverlight 4's support ended 2013 and Silverlight will cease development altogether in 2021. Chrome, Firefox and Edge no longer support Silverlight. The only remaining browser that supports it is Internet Explorer 11.

Even if SL 5 does work on XP which various non-Microsoft sites claim, Is there even a need for it? Aside from Netflix, I can't think of a single reason that I would need to install Silverlight on my computer.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

 

do not see the need, I have never installed silverlight or windows essentials or the powershell.

 

Without Windows Live Essentials you don't have Photo Gallery, so what do you use for viewing pictures?

 

windows comes with microsoft picture viewer built in, but I use office 2003 picture manager. I have never needed anything else, even before I install office on a clean install I can still view my pictures.

 

I recommend either XnView or Fastone Image Viewer. They are freeware with no ads, nagware/trialware or other garbage. I have both both installed in XP and are very good, take your pick.

 

I never knew about this. Where in XP is it located? I always used photo gallery.

These two look good. Thank you.

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-located/200861a8-82a7-4ed0-a860-45af714fc952

please read the above thread for more detailed info, the picture viewer is a .dll not a program, very basic

 

Apart from these three are there other programs and components that I can safely do without?

 

its really a personal choice as to what you use or do not use, look at your add/remove program list if there is something you do not use, then remove it. but the above at microsoft updates are the only ones I do not install, and/or any hardware updates, never get hardware updates from microsoft optional listings. I do not know which program uses what, but I have all 4 .nets installed.

 

Is Microsoft Office 2003 compatible with XP? If the answer is yes, is there a safe website to download it.

 

you will have to use a free alternative to office as office 2003 is a paid program, and is not for sale anymore, you might find one on ebay, but that is up to you to download from there, I bought 2003 in that year and have been using it since with xp

 

https://www.ebay.com/b/Microsoft-Office-Word-2003/3768/bn_7023267129

I have bought several from Ebay for my software bank.

 

I have FastStone Image Viewer. An amazing free program I downloaded many months ago, then forgot I had. Just started working with it. Like it so much I tracked down the instructional:
http://www.faststonesoft.net/DN/FSIV_Tutorial.pdf