[Solved]Will Opera also ends support for Windows 7 and 8.1
-
blackbird71 last edited by@urdrwho10 I've been using computers per se daily since the IBM mainframe era, through microcomputers (Intellec8, etc), through DARPA-net days with the earliest PCs, up until now. Personally, I've only been hacked once (in Win95 days via malware planted on a hacked news website)... but I attribute that success mostly to safe hex: keeping my systems well-patched, using updated anti-malware screening (which have trapped a number of hack attempts), never ever opening unsolicited email links or attachments, and - yes - avoiding "sketchy" websites. However, from my observations among coworkers, friends, and online reports, the hacking of 'reputable' websites to cause drive-by infections (especially in their Javascripting and 3rd-party ad callouts) occurs more often than many folks imagine, so avoiding shady websites is no guarantee of online immunity.
A major part of the problem is that code and online protocols of both browsers and websites are now so complex that new flaws and vulnerabilities are continually being discovered therein to be exploited by "bad guys"... so the parade of "fixes" for these never ends, lest the software involved becomes hopelessly compromised.
Add to that the march of technological evolution in hardware and software concepts, which forces corresponding changes to software programs, stir in the irresistable desire to continually add a few new "features" in the code to improve the software's competitive posture... and you have the constant drumbeat of software updates that we see today. At some point, mere updating become unwieldy and entirely new program architecture becomes necessary... at which point, new flaws and vulnerabilities are baked in to be later discovered and exploited -- and the cycle repeats endlessly.
Unfortunately, this is life in today's digital universe - particularly with the entire world freely accessing one gigantic public network and able to try their hand at hacking anything and anyone.
-
urdrwho10 last edited by leocg
@blackbird71 Yeah I get all of that but I also feel that the people using computers is also a problem. People don't take the risk management protocols to help stop the hacking. I'm 70 years old now and not as spry as I once was at new technology. I was the teacher and now my son rolls his eyes at some of my questions. I've become the student.
I'm looking into the future and thinking, how the heck will I keep up? I have probably 10 computers in the house with 6 being used and kept up to date. The remainder are the things ya fire up once in a while and say -- oh look it still runs.
Of the six being used, four are dual boot and one is win 11 only, the other is Win 7. Win 7 is my business computer with proprietary expensive software that I'm not about to spend $8,000 to upgrade. Errrr! The darn thing does what it is supposed to do, run my CRM, act as a fax/answering machine, keep my books and go online at times.
Not being able for that box to go online would not be a deal killer but would add one more layer of things that I need to do before finishing a task. If it comes down to it I have my other computers to use for browsing.
My other Big Errrrr is that I am a buyer, not a renter. Once the software engineers decided that the income stream is better if you make people rent, the end of reasonable priced software was over. I don't mind paying a small sum every X amount of years to update.
Its kind of like some car manufacturers are now requiring an annual subscription for your computer controlled heated seats to keep working. This is the old death by drip - drip - drip.
"Car Makers Plan to Require Monthly Subscriptions to Use Heated Seats, and Other 'Luxuries'"
-
awkward last edited by
IDK about future but last 2 development commits stop work on my Windows7 normally. I always get message what GetProcessMitigationPolicy missing in Kernel32.dll.
And i can't stop browser autoupdate. I just don't see that option.Looks like i will must to delete this browser (sad,sad)
-
-
-
blackbird71 last edited by
@andrew84 said in Will Opera also ends support for Windows 7 and 8.1:
Answer regarding the Win 7/8 support
https://forums.opera.com/post/296760The key words in that answer are: "we are aware that Chrome is dropping support for Windows 7 and 8 but we wanted to keeping those platforms updated as long as it wouldn't require lot of additional maintenance from our side." (my italics)
Probably no one knows how long that support will actually continue since no one knows the precise evolution path of the chromium codebase going forward after Win7 and 8 requirements are officially deprecated. But it's highly likely that after that compatibility is no longer required, codebase changes will occur and accumulate that seriously conflict with those Windows versions... at that point, supporting Win7 and/or 8 in a chromium-based browser will indeed require a lot of maintenance on the part of the browser developers - and that will be the end of support.
-
andrew84 last edited by
@blackbird71 Yes. sure.
But some supporting period (unknown or short) is better than nothing. -
-
caseyschroen last edited by caseyschroen
I recently asked a similar question on Reddit and received some helpful insights from the community. Many users mentioned that as time goes on, it's becoming increasingly difficult for software developers to maintain compatibility with older operating systems like Windows 7 and 8.1. Likely, Opera will eventually phase out support for these platforms, especially if they encounter technical challenges due to the use of newer Windows APIs. However, it's possible that Opera could temporarily re-enable support if they can find a workaround. If you're interested in learning more, check out the windows 10 Reddit key.
-
blackbird71 last edited by
@caseyschroen said in Will Opera also ends support for Windows 7 and 8.1:
If you're interested in learning more, check out the windows 10 Reddit key.
Uhmm... what does obtaining a 'cheap' Win10 key have to do with the question of Opera maintaining support for Win7 and 8.1?
-
-
blackbird71 last edited by blackbird71
@burnout426 said in Will Opera also ends support for Windows 7 and 8.1:
Yes. Supported has ended.
For the sake of those reading this thread now or in the future who are unwilling or unable to follow the referenced link, the key categorical statement by Opera's Product Marketing Manager on 31 January 2023 is: "From our side, we wouldn’t be able to guarantee the user experience and security that we strive for in our products. As a result, we have had to make the tough decision to stop supporting Windows 7 and 8.1 as well."
-
HAYESTAN last edited by
opera will only let you install the last version from january 2023. they will not allow you to install the new versions. the last version of opera that you can install runs on chromium 109
-
letmein3 0 last edited by leocg
I highly recommend Opera team to Avoid any idiotic Win10 inclusions. Browser already has Everything it needs to work (full Win32 API). There is millions Win7 (still happy) users who don't want to be pushed on Win10. So stop this pandemic idiocity "we don't run on Win7 because MS doesn't support it". Windows 7 Still Work! Nobody care what MS supports. Nobody care Diablo-4 is out, because Diablo-2 Also Works. Feel the logic? We have full right to run Win7 and use all apps - there is no need in Win10-specific API.
-
letmein3 0 last edited by leocg
@blackbird71 So pathetic lie! This PM cannot guarantee security on Win10 too! Simply because it's not his product! I wanna see at least one security error, which happens inside Opera, but appeared because Opera worked on Win7. Please??
-
blackbird71 last edited by
@letmein3-0 Opera is based on the chromium code base, as are many other browsers. With chromium deprecating its support for a now-obsolete OS like Win7 or 8.1, it means various new chromium API's can and will be added to its code base that are compatible only with later OS versions like Win10 and 11. It also means that specific code in the chromium code base that may refer only to the now-obsolete OS's will be removed without warning whenever it suits the chromium developers. That, in turn, means those code incompatibilities will ripple through to the Opera browser as soon as it incorporates the newer versions of chromium - as Opera must do in order to stay current with chromium security patches that are responses to ongoing security vulnerability discoveries.
The Opera PM's statement is not a "lie" since if Opera were not to include new chromium updates because of risks of incompatibility with older OS's, then it couldn't keep up with the security updates included in those chromium updates. The only alternative for Opera would be for Opera to 'manually' patch the underlying chromium code itself for each and every new chromium update to include workarounds for any incompatibilities introduced therein, assuming such workarounds could even be found or be satisfactory. The effort and cost, particularly for exhaustive testing, would ultimately be considerable. This is something Opera is indicating they are not willing to do in their free browser.
-
Locked by
leocg
