I Admit defeat.

Some time I announced that I was abandoning Windows in all it's builds and moving to Linux. Hmm, I admit defeat. Yes, Linux is stable, reliable, all the things Linux says it is. However, when it comes to changing the code, importing older software, general flexibility, Windows is superior in most deeper aspects of use and "tweaking".

I am using a "pirate" version of Windows 8.1 Professional made "legal" with some "tweaks". Updates work, no time limits on stability. Yes, most users have a negative opinion of Windows 8.1. However, Windows 8.1 is not plagued with the problems of Windows 10 and privacy breaches. Each to their own I suppose. My PC is a home built AMD GA-78LMT. Eight core CPU, 4.0 Ghz. 16 Gb RAM. AMD huge Graphics card. Huge cooling system, and SSD drives (plural) instead of a traditional hard drive.

In all, simply put, it works. I have been building PC's since about 1981 back in the days of the Z80 chip.

Who else in XP forums still builds their own PC. I would be interested to know.

Cheers,
Aunty Jack.

 

Hello from Turkey. I no longer build PC's but I still keep around the first PC that I built back in May 1999. It's the first and the only PC I've built so far. Afterwards I bought Laptops (IBM and Apple) and Mac mini's only. It is PII-400Mhz, Gigabyte GA-6BXC (released Nov'98), 3dfx Voodoo3 2000 AGP, Creative SoundBlaster, 3 x 256MB PC100 SDRAM 768MB total. Around 2009 I installed USRobotics WiFi, PCI Blutetooth and Windows XP so it became a very useful computer.

I think Windows gets worse with each new release. The maximum version I use is Windows 7. Fortunately almost all modern software still support Windows 7.

 

The first PC I built was a 386-sx 16 MHz. The last PC I built was a Pentium II 400 MHz. Now I just buy them refurbished and install my own OS (pirated, like you) No having to deal with activation headaches or other nonsense. It's just easier and less time-consuming since I have to divide my time between work and my other interests/hobbies.

Next to XP WIndows 7 is my favorite OS. Unfortunately Google has announced that they are dropping support for Windows 7, 8, 8.1 in January 2023.

https://www.techradar.com/news/google-chrome-is-dropping-support-for-windows-7-and-81-so-update-now

This also means Chrome derivatives (Edge, Brave, Vivaldi etc.). Hopefully Mozilla, my preferred browser, will continue support for a while longer.

 

In the past I used to sell pcs I built. But given how cheap pcs and laptops have become I couldn't compete with the prices. I wasn't earning anything. The last 2 I built in around 2010 I sold them at the same price of the parts. I only build my own pc.

 

Linux is great at some things, but in home use I almost always prefer Windows. There are so many stupid little things to fix on Linux that take much longer than necessary, and I'd rather spend my time on more enjoyable things. Since I grew up with DOS and Windows, I'm used to be top-level administrator and modifying any part of the OS that I please, at any time. It seriously bugs me that Linux has "files" and "folders" that I can't modify, copy, view. Backup Windows? Copy C drive, done. Linux? I don't even know what's in most "folders", or where most "files" are located.

I have an easy time backing up XP and earlier by RARing all the files. Vista and later have weird hard-link things that trip up archivers, maybe it's intended to be copy-protection.

I did buy one pre-made tower, but all the others have been custom-built or hand-me-downs. I customize my hardware just like I customize my UI. In my younger years, pre-built towers always skimped on memory to save a buck. Much of my youth was making money cleaning and optimizing Windows installs due to skimpy memory sizes, which also helped calm down the constant hard drive seeks.

Oh, and pirated always. Privacy first and always, by default. I'm not allowing any companies to collect info on me unless I authorize it, usually meaning they provide me with some benefit.