Oracle just released what is likely the last XP Java Patch. I'd suggest those of XP get it before it's pulled.

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/ ... 80261.html

Is there anything you actually use Java for, Geff? I've been Java-free for about a year and haven't encountered one situation where it was required.

Since you can still download older version of Java as far back as Windows 95, I wouldn't worry too much about grabbing it "before it gets pulled". Of course, I don't know anyone besides Geff still on Windows XP, so as long as he has it, no one else should need it.

Linda, I used Java for some local applications that required it (a media server that I don't use anymore) but haven't wanted or needed Java for a browser plugin in years either. Nowadays, even local apps are more likely built on Python than Java. In the corporate world, Java is alive and well unfortunately. And none of the versions are compatible with each other. It makes me rage.

Rarely. I have it shut off by default. There are some online programs that require it.

My mother-in-law was still using it up until a couple of weeks ago. She got a new laptop and is now on 8.1.

I have several friends still on XP. As of about 2 months ago the stats were that 25% of PC's were still running it. A lot of us our happy with XP & really don't want to unnecessarily learn a new os.

I bought 2 refurb Win 7 32 bit machines for $165 ea & they work fine, but I really don't want to spend the time personalizing them until I have to.

I also didn't know this until I received them, but they're mini's, & can only fit an inferior laptop sized burner; so I'm either going to need to buy a 3rd Win 7 box, or keep one XP box for burning.

Also in Windows XP news today, Google announced that they'll be extending Chrome support for XP through the end of the year. It was originally supposed to expire with this month's release. So maybe use Chrome on that machine, Geff.

Go external and add the 5 1/4" drive of your choice.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0093HKFYW/?tag=imwan-20

I'm using Firefox (which afaik hasn't announced any XP deadline), but good to know Chrome will continue support.

I've switched to Foxit for pdf, as they are still supporting XP (adobe isn't). I'm guessing Flash & shockwave will be the next to go. That will be a concern. Many web based videos are still using Flash (unfortunately). I'm also using MBAE pro, which is SUPPOSED to protect XP from exploits caused by unpatched programs.

The latest MS patches (I still got 13 even with XP due to Office) broke SSL capability in my ancient email program (I'm not going to admit to what I'm using as i don't like being laughed at). Fortunately, I don't tend to email anything that would get me in trouble!

Is USB 2 (I don't have any USB 3 boxes) fast enough for QUALITY burns?

To be fair, not on my primary machine. I have an XP desktop that still gets used periodically as well as an XP virtual machine on my Mac that hasn't been fired up in a while. My main Windows machine is a laptop running Win 7, which we bought because I work remotely and they were no longer supporting an XP remote solution (except they were - and still are), and I have a Win 7 virtual machine on the Mac as well.

Then again, I was running Windows For Workgroups 3.11 as my music sequencer until a year or two ago, before I got a Mac for recording. And yes, I still have the 3.11 machine and it still runs (there are a couple old games I may eventually play again - meaning my survivors will likely be the next to do something with the machine!).

I know lots of people still use it. I just like giving Geff a hard time about it.

I shudder when I go into doctor's offices or other secure facilities and see that they're still on XP.

That's why I plan, by this fall, to work on the XP desktop and use it exclusively to listen to MP3s of brickwalled CDs produced by the big corporations while I buy CDs from Super D and petition the NFL to schedule all West Coast teams to play at 1:00 PM Eastern, even at home.

XP is the least of your worries with getting medical records stolen............. It's not great practice, but it it is not nearly as vulnerable as several products tat often don't get patched.

Seems like there's been almost weekly Flash patches lately,& you wouldn't believe how many idiots still click on unexpected email attachments; & then to get serious; + there's all the unpatched server issues out there. I'm sure Jeff could add another 10 or 20 that aren't coming to mind at the moment.

Well the thing with Dr offices on XP, is they are often on embedded systems that have no real worries about security because they are not writeable; they can't be taken advantage of with exploits like a standard installation, and are no more at risk for hacking intrusions than a modern OS. The systems can't be upgraded either without replacing all the hardware and writing new applications that work with the new software, at great expense. It really makes sense to just keep them as-is until they die. Same with many industrial applications of XP you might see out there.

If you're at the secretaries front desk and she has XP though, then they are just really behind the times!

Ironically, it's my Vista box that's having issues installing the latest update!

USB 2.0's practical transfer rate is 35MB/s, or 280Mb/s. A 1x burn is at 1.229 Mb/s. USB bandwidth will not be a limiting factor, as the laser can't burn the dye faster than about 65~Mb/s (52x). What speed do burn at?

4x. The higher quality discs I use prefer slower burns.

I unfortunately don't know of anything for cd that even comes close to the OLD Plextor's (did the real Plex make any externals?). DVD is another story, finding a decent burner there shouldn't be a problem.

Take any internal drive you have and like and put it in a USB enclosure, is what I'm saying. Here's one that supports old IDE drives.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UCGL64/?tag=imwan-20

Oh, thanks!!!!!

I have Java off by default. I'm actually quite surprised how often I'm seeing the following on legit websites: