Still Got An XP Machine? Turn It On Now. [1]

Microsoft officially stopped supporting Windows XP as from today.  There will be no more security patches or other bug fixes.  

The official recommendation from Microsoft is that everyone with a PC that runs XP should throw it out and buy a new one.  However, that's unlikely to happen.  And why chuck out a perfectly functional computer if it's still working OK, just because Microsoft says so?

If you still have a computer that runs Windows XP, or you're still running programs in Windows XP Mode under Windows 7, here's what you should do.  

First, if you don't keep your machine powered up all the time, turn it on right now.  Microsoft issued a final set of security patches today, which fix 7 new vulnerabilities.  Those patches may not stay around forever, so turning on your PC will ensure that it picks up those latest updates automatically.  (If you don't have automatic updates enabled, you really should do it).

Secondly, make sure your antivirus software is up to date and that it's still supported by the manufacturer.  Even if Microsoft doesn't issue any security updates, it's still good to keep your virus scanner current.

If you decide to continue using XP, you're not alone.  Lots of old PCs and netbooks use it, as do 90% of the world's ATM bank machines.  It will gradually fade away, as any 14 year old operating system should be allowed to do.  But for the mean time, so long as you take care, you should be OK, so long as you don't use XP for any highly critical or confidential work.

And if you're tempted to ditch XP and move to Linux, think carefully before you do.  Most security problems are caused by user error.   If you're not familiar with Linux, you're probably safer sticking with an obsolete version of Windows than trying to learn something new.  Although, if your XP machine is no longer required, using it to learn Linux is an ideal use for the old hardware.