TECH TALK
End-of-Life Plans (It’s Not What You Think)
By Tak Sato
If you guessed that end-of-life (EOL) planning refers to technology—personal computers, tablets, smartphones, or my favorite—a Chromebook—you nailed it.
No doubt, EOL planning for technology is simpler than making EOL plans for our personal lives—no lawyers or legal documents are required. Instead, you need to track down two key EOL components: the physical device (hardware) and the operating system that runs on that device (software or system software).
Why It Matters
There is exclusive system software for different devices. The most popular operating systems are Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s MacOS for personal computers, Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS for iPhones and iPads, and Google’s ChromeOS for Chromebooks.
By the time Boomer’s year-end 2024 issue hits the newsstands, you have exactly 333 days to come up with an EOL plan if your computer runs with Windows 10. That’s because it’s going to end after Oct. 14, 2025—not exactly immediately—but soon enough that you’ll need to act. So, what does that mean?
EOL for Windows 10 means Microsoft will stop providing monthly Windows Update fixes for security issues discovered after Oct. 14. Think of the security vulnerabilities as similar to cracks in your home’s foundation that might allow disease-carrying rats to slip into your basement. Windows Updates fix the cracks (security vulnerabilities), much like a homeowner plugs foundation cracks with cement to keep rodents outside.
We want to limit our exposure to security weaknesses to cut our chances of being victimized or hacked. With an unsupported operating system, you have greater risk exposure. The updates are a big deal.
Now What?
Popular media is full of information about Windows 10 and its impending demise. Microsoft has been aggressively trying to upgrade users to Windows 11 as long as the computer running Windows 10 meets Windows 11 requirements.
The primary options mentioned online are to upgrade to Windows 11 on the same hardware as long as the computer can handle the extra load, or to buy a new computer with Windows 11 pre-installed. Some suggest dropping Microsoft altogether and moving to an Apple iMac or Mac Mini (both desktops) or MacBook (laptop).
Tech Talk by Tak takes a different approach, especially if your current computer running Windows 10 can’t be upgraded to Windows 11. In short, to replace or not to replace a computer depends on how you’re using it.
If you’re a basic user and your web browser helps you respond to email and use the internet for shopping, banking and streaming entertainment, a new computer purchase may be overkill.
Whether you’re an average computer user with basic needs or a tech geek like me, we both spent thousands of dollars on computers over the years. As personal computers became consumerized, in lock-step with the rising ubiquity of the internet, the use of computers connected to the internet revolutionized how we go about getting things done, from shopping and banking to entertainment and beyond in the digital world instead of or in addition to the real world we live in.
Today, there are a variety of device options for the average person to choose from, thanks in large part to the popularity of the Apple iPhone and other devices it spawned with their “always connected to the internet” features.
Touchscreens on smartphones and tablets are more intuitive for users to interact with their devices than the hand-eye coordination needed for a keyboard, mouse and monitor.
The affordable Chromebook and its intuitive user interface, which is the same as the Google Chrome web browser, means there is no steep learning curve; you can hit the ground running with it.
In my opinion, the most valuable feature is the thousands of available apps in their mutually exclusive ecosystems. Smartphones, for example, are phones at the core but an app can turn your device into a communicator (texting, messaging and video chat), digital camera, streaming entertainment system, news source, library and much more.
Ask yourself this before the next 333 days: Do I need another computer or will devices such as a smartphone, tablet or Chromebook be more appropriate? You’ve got options for your Windows EOL plan.
