If you're still running Windows 7, it's finally time to make the leap to something newer. Preferably Windows 10, as Windows 8 doesn't have long to live either. But whichever platform you pick — even if you jump ship to Chrome or MacOS -- today is when you need to make the switch, because Windows 7 is no longer safe.
Windows 7 was released just over 10 years ago, in October 2009, having been under development for the better part of six years. Originally planned as a direct sequel to Windows XP, it fell behind Windows Vista and due to the divisive nature of that predecessor OS, it had a lot to live up to when it arrived. Fortunately, Windows 7 moved us past the failings of Vista, and into a bright new age of Aero themes, of snappy operation, faster boot times, and automated driver installations, which made operating a modern PC so much easier.
Windows 7 also overhauled the taskbar, updated the Start menu, improved support for multi-core CPUs, added the option of virtual hard drives, and the addition of Windows Security Center. It also gained the TRIM command for keeping SSDs working well over time, and better multi-language support. Color support was improved too, for better professional image editing suites, and HDMI 1.3 support was added.
For many, this made Windows 7 a near instant success, and it's remained one of the most popular operating systems, especially among gamers, ever since. But in 2020 it's time to say goodbye, as starting today it will no longer receive security updates or improvements. Hackers also, traditionally, sit on a bunch of exploits and wait to use them on this end-of-support day, where they know they will no longer be patched.
If you're running Windows 7, it's time to be exceedingly careful. Better yet, upgrade to Windows 10.