Windows 8.1 Support Ends 2023-01-10

[Snake Man]

Windows 8.1 support ends in 2023-01-10 which is exactly four months from now. My current editing computer is using win 8.1 because my VPN providers client software is not installing to win7 anymore.

Support ending does not mean you cannot use the windows, I am still using windows 7 on my Gaming computer (ArmA 3, Elite Dangerous, Farming Simulator 17 and 19, etc), runs just fine in Gaming use.

Overall the plan is to finally move into Linux Desktop once win 8.1 support ends.

I have been using Linux in server console shell function since the mid 90s, with few interruptions here and there I've been running Linux server since 1998 every day, right now my Linux Ubuntu server 20.04 is running few meters from me as I'm typing this, PMC Tactical forum is hosted in Linux Ubuntu server as well (not the same machine). So Linux is nothing new to me.

Two years ago in september 2020 I installed Linux Mint v20 for the first time as my linux desktop, I loved it, still do, however none of the ArmA 3 and Farming Simulator editing software runs under linux, if I use linux I cannot edit. So after a month of use I caved in and installed win7 back (long story short had to switch to win8.1 due the VPN software).

Right now as we are four months away from windows 8.1 support ending, I have no idea what is going to happen. Nothing? Installing Linux Mint v21 on that day? How do I edit ArmA 3 and FS19 then?

While four months goes by very quickly relatively speaking, I am not going to speculate yet or make any kind of statements about what I'm going to do then.

All I can tell you, is that I'm scared shitless...

[Snake Man]

2022-10-10T10:23:00Z

Windows 8.1 support ends in three months.

Nothing much changed since I created this topic. In recent several days my long time burnout for editing / computer stuff has hit hard, been just waiting RSS news and watching youtube recommended videos or twitch, haven't been able to do ANY editing, just simply cant get anything started.

Because of this terrible waste of time been thinking that I might as well install linux desktop already if no editing is being done, but luckily still have maintained calm thought process and not done it. It would be a big mistake because few days from now I might be full speed in 17hrs / day editing mode again.

Was just checking out my 2022 editing history changelogs and there has been no editing in august and september, two full months of not doing anything, that really sucks

(hmm that's actually not entirely true, I just did some fs22 PMC Super Six 6km edits recently but didn't write changelogs other than dev diary's).

So three months until win8.1 updates come to an end, some people might think its a long time but to me it really is not, I feel like if editing 17hrs / day starting now, I could barely do a dent to my project workload. But dunno, maybe its just my burnt out mind thinking slightly glass half empty pessimistic thoughts

Overall the takeaway here is that we have already passed the point of no return, all the projects I have going on cannot be finished before jan 10th, so that ship has sailed. Some individual projects could be finished easily, but not all. So its kind of weird situation that hurrying up editing or doing whatever.. doesn't really change anything. Only thing matters is can I still edit under windows once 8.1 support ends. Hmm

Have no idea what happens when win8.1 support ends, no decision has been made yet.

[Snake Man]

2022-11-10T00:16:00Z

Windows 8.1 support ends in two months.

Since the previous post one month ago I came across Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) upgrade to v28 and latest Kdenlive video editing software updates which do not install under windows 7 or 8, so now we have Kdenlive, VPN client, Farming Simulator 22 and OBS that cant be used. Also I saw some new games released recently that do not work with win 7 or 8 any longer, so more and more software issues.

This is kind of demoralizing to see that happen, sure of course eventually it happens but its one of those things that you don't really want to believe it and when it happens, its quite the shock. It really pisses me off that I cant install Kdenlive / OBS v28 to my still completely up to date windows 8.1 computer.

In the past few days or dunno if its week already, starts to be a bit blur, I have been editing ArmA 3 real world data terrains 17hrs / day which has been extremely cool. As I'm typing this terra incognita is leeching satellite imagery and terrain builder is generating layers, hard at work. This is what I wanted to do, last push on addon editing before everything goes to shit next year.

Just today was thinking that even if my editing / surfing computer goes to Linux, there is nothing stopping me of creating some local area network only win7 computer for editing use, but that obviously is not very nice setup to have several computers in your apartment, it would be overkill. What I mean is that switching to fully Linux Desktop is kind of like software revolution to me and I might re-arrange my computer hardware components to assemble new setups which would better suit Linux Desktop and addon editing use. Dunno, we'll see.

Two months, man... its nothing... scary times ahead

[Snake Man]

2022-12-10T15:42:00Z

Windows 8.1 support ends in ONE month.

So close to the day of death for windows 8.1 but still not much news to report, haven't decided what I'm going to do regarding editing. As I'm typing this text FS22 Giants Editor v9.0.2 is up for field definition creation and ArmA 3 terra incognita is leeching european woodland ArcGIS satellite imagery, so editing is getting done.

I'll continue to edit as much as possible in december and first week of january, no wasted time of just playing arma3/fs19 unless its game-play testing (no cheating with "testing! testing!" heh), I want to achieve as much as possible terrain editing wise before time is out.

Its crazy to think that in just 30 days from now windows 8.1 and therefore my editing computer ceases to get updates and in simple terms "cant be used" anymore. It just feels so unbelievable, how can this happen...

One month man, one fucking month...

[Snake Man]

2023-01-10T00:19:00Z

The day that I've dreaded for two years have finally arrived, Windows 8.1 support ends today

Months ago I decided that in this day, I will make a decision, had NO idea what the decision would be but one would be made.

So here is the decision of what to do with win8.1 support ending: I will not, I say again, I will NOT install Linux Desktop to my editing computer today.

No idea if I install Linux Desktop tomorrow, next week or 3 years from now, but I will not do it today.

Normal PMC routines will continue, I'm editing ArmA 3, FS19 and FS22. My playing habits are not in any way connected to editing computer so those will not change.

I make no further statements, promises or speculations etc, I don't want to make empty promises or get peoples hopes up, as said I have no idea if I edit years using my current win8.1 or do I get fed up with shit tomorrow and install Linux Desktop and editing stops.

As I'm typing this text I'm at PMC Gaming computer playing PMC King Corn 45km Start From Zero (farming simulator 22) savegame, this will continue through today and most likely tomorrow as well, after that the plan is to continue editing PMC Korkscrew 40km fs22 terrain and make it Start From Zero compatible, after that... umm dunno if PMC RedWhiteBlue 10km needed similar Start From Zero shake-up, will have to check it out. All this fs22 editing/playing can be scrubbed at moments notice if a serious burnout hits again, hopefully not. Obviously I have several ArmA 3 real world data terrains either already binarized or few edits away of being so and then released, but that is whole another matter.

There you have it, life goes on, editing continues, Linux Desktop will not be installed today.

PS windows sucks.

[Snake Man]

2023-05-04T16:48:00Z

Just launched ArmA 3 steam client and saw a notification there:

As of January 1 2024, Steam will officially stop supporting the Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 operating systems. After that date, the Steam Client will no longer run on those versions of Windows. Source help.steampowered.com.

Well, guess steam made the decision for me to end ofp/arma editing and playing on 2024-01-01

Fuck, life sucks

[Snake Man]

Been running PMC Gaming computer windows 7 64bit steamshit client on january 1st, 2nd and now today, steamshit client has the red banner "0 day" notification up but apparently it doesn't go further than that zero days, countdown reached zero and then... nothing. I can still play ArmA 3 using steam under win7 just fine, no idea how long this will last maybe valve does something in the background one of these days and suddenly software refuses to load, but as of today... it still runs just fine.

Kind of a bummer actually, I was expecting to be locked out with all that fear mongering about win8.1 support ending and then grand finale is a big nothing. Oh well, more ArmA 3 win7 game-play for me then, cant complain