Microsoft will end extended support for Windows 7 tomorrow, January 10th, ending what many believe has been the last great operating system from Redmond.

Windows 7 was released in October 2009, ended regular support in January 2015, and extended support in January 2020. Its huge usage share (due in part to the disastrous Windows 8) forced Microsoft to keep it on schedule. update (ESU) that ends tomorrow exactly. Personally, it’s the last great operating system from Microsoft that I really liked and I’ve been using it on production machines until the very end.

But everything does not last forever in the current conditions of global cyber security with vulnerabilities and attacks on a daily basis, it is not recommended to use a system that does not have regular security updates since You will be exposed to computer attacks.

Alternatives to Windows 7?

According to Statcounter, Windows 7 still has 11% share in computer desks. There are millions of computers that will need to be updated. Unsurprisingly, Microsoft recommends Windows 11: “Most Windows 7 devices do not meet the hardware requirements to upgrade to Windows 11, or Windows 7-compatible PCs can be upgraded to Windows 10 by purchasing and installing the full version of the software”says Microsoft, not without noting support dates: “Before investing in a Windows 10 upgrade, keep in mind that the end of support date for the system will reach October 14, 2025”.

That said, there are alternatives to continuing with Windows or trying other things. We remind you:

Free upgrade to Windows 10. The free upgrade to Windows 10 from older operating systems like Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 continues to work, although the campaign officially ended years ago. And it’s the best choice if you continue to bet on Microsoft development.

Purchase of Windows 10/Windows 11 license. Microsoft offers Windows 10 Home or Pro licenses (upgradable to Windows 11) at an official price of $139 and $199, respectively. Of course, there are other types of licenses that can be used legally and are much cheaper, such as those for great CD which we have offered you in previous weeks and which allow you to purchase a Windows 10 license for just 12 euros and from there upgrade to Windows 11 if you so choose.

Buying a new PC. There’s not much to choose from here, as Microsoft almost completely controls the OEM channel, and most new PCs are sold with Windows pre-installed, and almost all with Windows 11.

linux. A great alternative to Windows 7 is free. On paper, any Windows 7 computer today will be able to safely run a modern GNU/Linux distribution. They offer great support for major architectures with free or proprietary drivers, and you should have no problems supporting at least the primary hardware (board, processor, graphics, RAM, SSD…).

Chrome OS. Today, the Google system can cover the computing and entertainment needs of almost all users. It’s clearly a platform on the rise, offers a consistent Linux foundation, and has improved significantly in both software and hardware.

Mac Operating System. Unfortunately, Apple has not licensed its operating systems to other manufacturers for many years, reserving them exclusively for its own. Apart from a few enthusiasts who have a Mac clone based on Hackintosh technology, there is an option to buy a Mac.

Other alternatives. There is life outside of Windows, Linux and Mac, they are little known among the general public and cannot compete with them on a commercial level, but they do exist and in this group we can point to FreeBSD, ReactOS or OpenBSD. Other options include Chrome OS Flex, which allows you to bring the capabilities of Chromebooks to any Windows or Mac PC and is aimed especially at low-resource PCs. In this sense, there are also unofficial versions of Windows, such as AtlasOS, which we introduced to you last month.

that being said Windows 7 is finally saying goodbye and it’s time to look for alternatives. Support for Windows 8.1 also ends tomorrow. If you’re betting on Microsoft systems, you should bet on Windows 10 and 11.