Hi, Whilst I agree that text emails are safer, emails are not the only attach vehicle used to plant viruses and malware onto a pc. All operating systems are under constant attach. Microsoft do their best to protect users with their monthly software updates but when these stop, the loop holes are exploited and computers corrupted. Have to admit I have not seem anyone using anything older than Widows XP accessing the mullgenealogy website for sometime now but that does not mean to say that they are not out there somewhere. If they have any sense they will not be accessing the internet now. Whilst I would urge everybody to take backups of their data (even better their whole computer), such action does not protect a user 100% from attach. Any connection leaves one open to attach but steps can be taken to reduce the chances of such an attack. Janet is right "nothing all always be safe". In posting the original message I was only trying to alert XP users to the fact that Microsoft was withdrawing support from April 2014 (a fact which I'm sure most would not be aware of) and suggest that they ought to migrate to a safer platform. On moving from XP to Windows 7 a few very old programs failed to work and I was able to identify alternatives. I would hasten to add that the programs where ones that I used in program development etc and where not everyday programs. To be safe I will repeat my suggestion that XP users consider removing their computers from a direct internet connection and use another device to communicate directly with the internet after April. Depending on the devices in use, data could still be transferred between them in order to exchange information over the net. The last thing I would like to see are users who have invested a great deal of time and money have their computers corrupted. Regards, Ian On 11 January 2014 12:53, Janet <cilurnum@googlemail.com> wrote: > I am conscious that this could easily go "off topic", but whatever the > position I > suggest erring on the side of caution and receiving and sending e-mails in > plain > text, reducing possibility of virus borne (background) html and not > opening unknown > attachments. Dull it may be but it is safe. Some mail programs will > insert e-mail > html content as an attachment. On the subject of being without support it > is > possible to chug along without it. I believe there are still some folk > with Windows > 95. PAF doesn't have support any longer and is being used I suspect on a > wide scale > and I've been using it without complications. I am given to understand > that Windows > for iPad is being attacked and that Android is safer, but nothing will > always be > safe. I would suggest transferring CD or DVD content onto a USB key if > one needs to > transport data. As an aside, I believe Roots Magic is key compatible > which means the > software can be uploaded to a key and transported. > > Janet > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ian Phillips" <mullgenealogy@gmail.com> > To: "Jean Whimp" <jiwhimp@optusnet.com.au>; <sct-isleofmull@rootsweb.com>; > <sct-arg-coll@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2014 9:44 AM > Subject: Re: [SCT-ISLEOFMULL] Microsoft XP Support > > > Hi Jean and all, > > I understand what you are saying but I would be surprised if the programs > and data will not run under Windows 7 or 8 albeit that you might need to > run them in Administrator mode. There are ways and means. > > I should have added that in addition to support for XP being stopped, > support for Microsoft Office 2003 is also being withdrawn from April 2014. > Don't think that a good anti-virus program will protect you because it will > not > > Having read further on the subject last night, pundits are predicting that > hackers will turn their attention to XP weaknesses as the protective shield > provided by Microsoft will be down from April. > > A possible work round would be to disconnect your computer from the > internet and purchase a relatively cheap tablet for reading and answering > emails and searching the internet. This would at least protect your > investment in programs and data. > > Regards, > > Ian > > > --- > This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus > protection is active. > http://www.avast.com > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SCT-ISLEOFMULL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Thanks for the advice, Ian :) Caroline -----Original Message----- From: Ian Phillips Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2014 1:42 PM To: sct-isleofmull@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SCT-ISLEOFMULL] Microsoft XP Support In posting the original message I was only trying to alert XP users to the fact that Microsoft was withdrawing support from April 2014 (a fact which I'm sure most would not be aware of) and suggest that they ought to migrate to a safer platform. On moving from XP to Windows 7 a few very old programs failed to work and I was able to identify alternatives. I would hasten to add that the programs where ones that I used in program development etc and where not everyday programs. Regards, Ian email to SCT-ISLEOFMULL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I never doubt your sincerity. Janet ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ian Phillips" <mullgenealogy@gmail.com> To: <sct-isleofmull@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2014 1:42 PM Subject: Re: [SCT-ISLEOFMULL] Microsoft XP Support In posting the original message I was only trying to alert XP users to the fact that Microsoft was withdrawing support from April 2014 (a fact which I'm sure most would not be aware of) and suggest that they ought to migrate to a safer platform. On moving from XP to Windows 7 a few very old programs failed to work and I was able to identify alternatives. I would hasten to add that the programs where ones that I used in program development etc and where not everyday programs. To be safe I will repeat my suggestion that XP users consider removing their computers from a direct internet connection and use another device to communicate directly with the internet after April. Depending on the devices in use, data could still be transferred between them in order to exchange information over the net. The last thing I would like to see are users who have invested a great deal of time and money have their computers corrupted. Regards, Ian --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com