Just a heads up for anyone still using Windows XP: Microsoft will officially end all support on April 8th 2014. This means that there will be no more security updates published for it via the Windows Update service, and all telephone support will cease.

This has implications for any machine running XP that is connected to the internet, as if someone writes a new virus or trojan horse that exploits an existing vulnerability within XP, Microsoft will not be fixing it. Think of using XP on an internet-connected machine after that date as leaving the front door of your house unlocked and open.

We recommend that you upgrade to either Windows 7 or Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 8. If you like the look and feel of Windows XP, Windows 7 should be a breeze to get used to. Windows 8 has split opinion. Microsoft introduced a new interface with the release of Windows 8, bringing in an experience that seems to have been mostly designed around the growing number of touch screen devices coming to market at the moment. While this is fine on a touch-enabled device, those who’ve grown up using a mouse may find it harder to adapt.

Personally, here at Orchid Farm Tech we’re all still using Windows 7, as we find that it does everything we need of it. Windows XP has had a life of almost 13 years, and this is testament to how good an operating system it was. I feel that Windows 7 may have a similar life ahead of it, so switching to 7 rather than 8 isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you have any questions or queries regarding which operating system is best for you, then give us a call on 01536 443300.

It’s worth bearing in mind also that our new Orchid FarmWizard Herd Management system, runs on all current major operating systems, such as Windows 7, 8, Linux and MacOS.