Windows 7 Support End – And what now? A switch to Linux?

M.Sc. Chris Wojzechowski

Windows 7 Support End – And what now? A switch to Linux?

On January 14, it is time for the Windows 7 support end. After Windows XP and Vista have not been updated in recent years, Windows 7 is now also affected, and users who continue to use Windows 7 on the Internet after January 14th will be at risk. Since viruses and malware can exploit newly discovered security holes from then on unhindered. So it is high time for a change, but not only Windows 10 is available.

Now that Microsoft has announced that it will not be releasing any new updates for Windows 7 after January 14th, its users must consider how to deal with this situation. First of all, this Windows 7 support end means that Microsoft will no longer close any security holes that attackers discover in Windows 7. So after January 14th it will be dangerous to surf the Internet with Windows 7. If you still want to use your computer, you either have to buy a paid license for Windows 10 or take advantage of the situation and switch to a free source-open Linux operating system.

Is it worthwhile to switch to Linux after the Windows 7 support end?

Switching to a Linux operating system after the end of Windows 7 support does not only make sense if you want to save the costs for a new Windows 10 license. Linux offers some more advantages. For example, Linux users do not have to protect themselves against viruses like Emotet. Furthermore, most common Linux operating systems are all developed in a very resource-saving way and therefore still run very fast even on old PCs.

Last but not least it should be mentioned that on all Linux operating systems presented here, office and image editing programs are installed free of charge. So you can continue working as usual after the installation. The Linux operating systems selected by us place a high value on security, data protection and ease of use, which makes it easy for you to find your way around the network immediately after installation and allows you to move around more securely.

After the end of Windows 7 support switch to the top dog Linux Mint?

Linux Mint after Windows 7 support end
The user interface of Linux Mint. From Funufuf – Own work, GPL, source: wikimedia.org

Just in time for the end of Windows 7 support Linux Mint has released its latest version. Linux Mint is one of the most widely used Linux operating systems. The structure of this modern operating system is very similar to the structure of Windows 7 and is very much focused on a user-friendly environment. Because the software is based on Ubuntu, Linux Mint has access to the full range of Linux applications. It should be emphasized that Linux Mint places great value on the privacy of the user and therefore does not transfer any analysis data or similar. Especially because of the Windows like user interface Linux Mint is recommended for Linux beginners.

The perfectly designed Mac OS Alternative Elementary OS

Windows 7 Support End Elementary OS
The Mac OS-style user interface of Elementary OS By Francesco Palmas – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, source: wikimedia.org

Elementary OS is still a rather new Linux operating system, which was only released in 2007. Like Linux Mint it is based on Ubuntu, which provides a large and tested range of software. The special focus of Elementary OS is on design and ease of use. The developers of Elementary OS took MacOS as a model, which also stands out for its ease of use.

Furthermore, Elementary OS has a very minimalist and much more modern design than most other Linux operating systems. Especially because of this and the integration of many tools for image and video editing it is very suitable for creative minds. Last but not least, the points already mentioned above also apply here: Elementary OS is also a secure, privacy-friendly and resource-saving operating system!

In general, we can only recommend to each of the readers of this article to try switching to a Linux operating system

In general, we can only recommend to each of the readers of this article to try the switch to a Linux operating system once. The hurdles for this have never been lower. All it needs is a USB stick. Even though there might be some features at the beginning which can be found elsewhere, the security and privacy gained will make it worthwhile to get started.

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M.Sc. Chris Wojzechowski

My name is Chris Wojzechowski and I studied my Master in Internet Security in Gelsenkirchen a few years ago. I am one of two managing directors of AWARE7 GmbH and a trained IT Risk Manager, IT-Grundschutz practitioner (TÜV) and possess the test procedure competence for § 8a BSIG. Our bread and butter business is performing penetration testing. We are also committed to promoting a broad understanding of IT security in Europe, which is why we offer the majority of our products free of charge.