The processor in our desktop isn't compatible to get Windows 11. It was bought in 2015 and came with Windows 10. That is what we use in it. Our laptop is fully compatible for Windows 11, but it was bought in November 2019. Since the laptop is basically my wife's computer, she may, or may not want that Windows installed on it. But, currently, and for awhile, Windows 11 is free to download, just like Windows 10 was when it first came out. Now, the good news, if you are, and most likely you are, running Windows 10, updates for that will go on until 2024. When Windows 10 came out, we were running Windows 7 in the old laptop and desktop we had. I installed, for FREE, Windows 10 into the desktop, but didn't really like it, so uninstalled it and went back to Windows 7. Unfortunately, Windows 7 was about to stop updates. The desktop USB areas weren't working correctly, so we decided to get a new computer tower (Dell) and monitor (Samsung). Then we found out that our current printer software wasn't compatible with Windows 10, so had to buy a new Canon printer. My wife's old laptop wasn't compatible with Windows 10, so, ended up getting a new Dell laptop in 2019 for her that had Windows 10 in it. That's the problem with computers, old software may/may not be compatible with a new Windows. IOW, you want your computer to work right, Windows and software have to be compatible.
I wonder how if feels to be a developer with Microsoft and to be assigned to the team responsible for maintaining a superseded version of the software, while others are developing the new stuff.
@Cody Fousnaugh I fail to understand. Our laptop, bought in 2010, has Windows 7. It continuously offers a flag urging downloading of updates; I close it every time it pops up, never have downloaded ANY update, and continue on. Used every day, on Windows 7, with no trouble. WHAT IS ALL THE HUBBUB ABOUT? Frank
My primary PC is a laptop with Win 8.1 and I am happy with that. I would like to try Win 11 if I could install it along side 8.1 without losing it in case I'm not happy with 11. I really haven't looked into it yet.
Frank, what happens is that, when using an older, or much older, Windows, the computer most likely won't function the same way as using a newer Windows. No matter what Windows a person is using, a continuing of "updates" for that Windows is essential for good-to-great performance. It's just like the difference between our old Apple iPhone 6 and our new Apple iPhone 12. On our old iPhone 6, I was no longer able to get "updates" to certain apps I had on the phone, so those apps were basically useless anymore. With our new iPhone 12, everything works fine-to-great.
@Frank Sanoica -- sometimes those popups are actually spyware or another attempt to get you to click on a link and enter your data. There should be no new updates for Win7 unless you just didn't ever install the older updates. You are doing the right thing to close those boxes and ignore them, especially if your machine is operating fine.
I gave up wodows long ago for an Apple machine. Which is best? I guess it depends on what you get used to. Windows and the Apple writing program are not always compatable so if one uses Apple for everything it is a good idea to get microsoft word for Apple. This will allow one to communicate with most everyone.
@Cody Fousnaugh My computer works completely acceptably, with no updates ever having been done. Maybe I don't know what good to great performance is really like. Apps on phones do not apply, I have no phone. No apps anywhere else, don't even understand what the hell they are. Frank
I would think there are different personality types within every profession. I've had staff who loved the bleeding edge stuff while others refused to leave their comfort zone of routine administravia. They were opposite ends of the spectrum in the same profession in the same company, and all of them were equally happy, as long as they were not forced to adopt a role they were uncomfortable in (meaning don't abuse the trailblazers with too much of the mundane, and don't freak out the administrative types by forcing them into the creative, non-structured stuff.) I imagine you've seen it: Developers vs DB Admins.
John, Windows can have some security patches, but most of them come from an anti-virus software. The Windows updates we get are more of a "performance" type. When our old Windows 7 stopped doing updates, our Norton Anti-Virus was still doing updates.
Windows security patches DO NOT come from anti-virus software. They come from Microsoft and are specific to the operating system. Norton is just a program that runs on Windows.
Seems like just yesterday that, with much kicking and screaming, I upgraded to 10 at the last possible moment. At that time Microsoft was promising that 10 would be the last Version, and would be 'upgraded' from then on via 'updates', which made me very happy indeed! But of course, it was all a lie. sad face emoji