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Connect With Your Ottawa IT Service Company at (613) 828-1384
Connect With Your Ottawa IT Service Company at (613) 828-1384
When Windows 7 came out, the public loved it. It seemed so intuitive. Everything worked so well. It quickly became America’s favourite operating system. Then Windows 8 was released and it was just the opposite. Nothing worked right and nothing made sense. It really didn’t seem like the same company, Microsoft, could have possibly developed both programs.
However, Microsoft heard what people were saying and they went back to the drawing board and created Windows 10. This operating system has been much more widely adopted. The program worked as it should. Most users have moved on to Windows 10 and are happy with its performance.
But there is still a fairly strong base of Windows 7 supporters who are die-hard fans and have been reluctant to move on. The reason all this is important is that in January of 2020, Windows 7 will no longer be receiving support from its creator, Microsoft. This is known as Sunsetting and it spells the end of a product’s lifecycle.
Since there will not be any further updates or patches after January 2020, it’s important for users to migrate over to Windows 10 as soon as possible. This is especially true for business owners. Experts recommend that individuals and business owners go ahead and begin the migration process now. Waiting till the last moment means you may not be able to find an IT services company that can help you with the process.
Sadly, this is also true for Office 2010. This is one of those word processing programs that everyone loves. It works so well and everything is just so easy to find. The users of this program have stubbornly refused to upgrade to newer versions of Office. For years, they have been willing to pay a premium just to keep using this program.
Now, that will no longer be possible. On October 13, 2020, Office 2010 will reach its end of life. As with Windows 7, End of Life means end of support. And when a product cannot get regular patches and updates, it is vulnerable to cyber thieves.
All hardware and software products have a specific support lifecycle that the manufacturer follows. For Office 2010, that lifecycle is 10 years. Without those bug fixes and security updates, it’s not safe for users. On October 13, 2020, Microsoft will no longer provide the following:
With both Windows 7 and Office 2010, the options are clear. It’s time to upgrade. Though most people hate change and resist learning new things, it’s too dangerous to continue using these products.
Cybercrime is on the rise. All it takes is one phony email or infected attachment and your files could be destroyed. Microsoft understands what is at stake. Their developers work hard each year to address security issues in their products.
There are lots of good reasons to make the switch. Windows 10 offers more benefits and features than Windows 7. In addition, it comes with excellent security to keep all your files and documents safe. Using an outdated operating system makes your network vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Hackers use those weaknesses found in older software programs to infiltrate a business’s security perimeter.
The same is true for newer Office programs. New features have been added. Office 2019 has just been released but older versions such as Office 2016 have been very popular. The Ribbon has intuitive features that make word processing much simpler.
For business owners, Office 365 might be the best choice. It includes all the popular Office apps like PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel and Word. The programs are delivered over the cloud making them versatile. You can download the apps to your phone or tablet and take them with you wherever you go. That means you can work from anywhere, even on vacation.
Office 365 usually comes via a monthly fee and updates are included in the price. Security is built in and these apps are improved over time to work better and give users a greater range of services.
If you decide on Office 2016 or Office 2019, these programs will not get updated, though they will include good security. These are stationary programs that you own. As they reach their End of Life, you’ll have to replace them with newer programs. The advantage though, is that you will own the software and will not have to pay monthly charges.
Whatever you select, it’s important to make the change now for Windows 7 and Office 2010. Continuing to use products that have reached their End of Life exposes you to numerous security risks. If you’re a business owner, there’s just too much at stake to take the risk.
