Ageing, outdated, no longer supported software and stability issues

[JTrader]

Hi

I am no expert

I am thinking of items like TS2000i (which I have a fully updates copy of) as an example of ageing, perhaps outdated, no longer supported software...........

As time passes, do/can such items of software (particularly real-time software - connected to the Internet) become less stable in their performances, as bugs, viruses etc. become more advanced?

Or

As time passes, do such items of software maintain the same level of stability in their performances? i.e. any instability issues present in the software at the time of its release remain intact - not becoming any better or worse?

And in any case will an up-to-date virus scanner and firewall software prevent any modern viruses from attacking the ageing/outdates software?............


Another example would be somebody running Windows 98 and Office 97 in 2004. Would up-to-date virus scanner and firewall software prevent any modern viruses from attacking the ageing/outdates software?............




Thanks a lot

jtrader.

 

[ardhill]

A few points that came to mind...

If you can continue to get a data feed that is compatible, then it will work just as well or badly as it does now.

The older and more 'out of date' software gets, the LESS chance there is that someone will want to create new viruses for it - the script kiddies get their kicks from destroying new programmes that there are loads of currently in use.

An up to date virus scanner and firewall should block anything before it gets to your programme, no matter how old the programme is. I personally use a separate hardware firewall, and nothing gets to my computer, let alone my programmes, that the firewall doesn't like. My anti- virus runs on my main machine though.

Bugs... Generally a term used to describe little programming errors. If you have any, they won't get any bigger or smaller as time goes by.

I think the main problem we have these days from older software is the Operating systems we run it on. Even XP won't run some of the programmes you could on Win 98.

 

[JTrader]

I think the main problem we have these days from older software is the Operating systems we run it on. Even XP won't run some of the programmes you could on Win 98.

Thanks ardhill.

I was/am unsure about which qay round these things work. I thought sfotware was forward compatible (?) - i.e. a program that was released during the time of Windows 95 would work on future operating systems. But a program that was released in the time of Windows XP, probably would not be installable onto Windows 95. Which way round does it work? or can it work both ways?


Take an Excel 97 spreadsheet as another example. I would have thought that this spreadsheet would be viewable with Excel 2003 software. But an Excel 2003 spreadsheet would not be viewable using Excel 97 softwate. Which way round does it work? or do they work/interchange both ways?

Many thanks

jtrader.

 

[Roberto]

I understand that things created in older verions are always viewable and editable in newer versions of the same software. Sometimes we newer version of the software will slightly restructure them the first time it sees them, in order to facilitate this.

My wife has a brand bew PC which runs Windows 98 and Office 2000. We've been advised (by people whom I believe) that in conjunction with fully automatically updating Norton (current edition), this actually makes her system less vulnerable to viruses and other nasty things than most people's.

 

[ardhill]

It is true that many (but still not all) manufacturers try to make their new systems open old files. And yes, sometime the new programme does have to reconstruct a file, such as Access 97 > Access 2000.

But that is not the point that I was making above.

'Programmes' (not files) which were designed for older operating systems will not always work on new systems. XP being the biggest culprit of this. I, and many others, found that when we upgraded to XP from an earlier version on Windows, that some of their programmes would not work.

If you have installed XP yourself (I know not that many people do), but if you have, you cannot but notice how that all the drivers had to be certified XP compatible - the earlier versions didn't work. This created not a small problem for some of the smaller hardware companies.

It isn't really that surprising since a better O/S means a different way of processing data for some of the operations.

If you only use Microsoft software in a Microsoft environment, you won't notice this problem much. But, if you use software from other companies, you may have problems when upgrading your O/S.

So, there is a possibility (I am not saying that it will happen as I don't work for Microsoft, neither am privy to their new code in progress) that your version of Trade Station MAY not work on a forthcoming new Windows operating system.

 

[culion]

I have two programs that I used with Windows 98 and XP. But after upgrading to SP-2 they both lost some functionality. However, changing the compatibility setting for each program back to 98 solved the problem.

 

[JTrader]

My wife has a brand bew PC which runs Windows 98 and Office 2000. We've been advised (by people whom I believe) that in conjunction with fully automatically updating Norton (current edition), this actually makes her system less vulnerable to viruses and other nasty things than most people's.

Hi Roberto

Are you meaning that running W98 and not WXP is what makes her system less vulnerable to viruses and other nasty things than most people's, as the viruses designed to atack W98 will have now been cured, whereas new viruses are designed to attack the latest operating system - i.e. - WXP?

Cheers

jtrader.

 

[JonnyT]

I understand that things created in older verions are always viewable and editable in newer versions of the same software. Sometimes we newer version of the software will slightly restructure them the first time it sees them, in order to facilitate this.

My wife has a brand bew PC which runs Windows 98 and Office 2000. We've been advised (by people whom I believe) that in conjunction with fully automatically updating Norton (current edition), this actually makes her system less vulnerable to viruses and other nasty things than most people's.

However the system is less stable (massively so) has lots of nuances, is no longer supported by Microsoft. The file system is more vunerable to data loss and will run modern apps more slowly (of late some not at all).

Give me XP every day that is kept upto date and running a decent AV.

No one should now be running Windows 98 and most definately not as a trading platform.

JonnyT

 

[JTrader]

Hi

when is the next operating system due for release?

I have read that the current generation of computers have been developed to near to their full potential - the silicon chip can't be taken much further. It would seem that a 'revolution' may be on the horizon.........Does anyone else know more about this than me, and would be in a position to briefly outline what is likely to change/come next and how?


Thanks again

jtrader.

 

[JonnyT]

Intel and others have recently announced major technilogical break throughs with Silicon.

The next generation of processors will be multiple parallel CPUs on a single slab of Silicon.

Intel have stated they do not see a challenge to Moores law (Computing power doubling every year) in the near / medium future.

JonnyT

 

[JTrader]

PC's, Processors, fans and noise

Thanks JT.

When I bought my PC, I was told that the bigger the processor, the bigger the fan that is needed to cool the PC.

I have an Athlon 2000 processor and my PC is quite noisy - which I thought was the norm. However, I have spent time at another PC with similar specifications and that PC was more or less silent.....
Could it be the case that the cheaper the quality of the fan the noisier the PC becomes - thus my PC's fan is a cheap and nasty one? and so could I have a 3.6 ghz processor in my PC with a suitable fan (that is of a higher quality) that makes hardly any noise at all?

Is significant noise immited from any other part of the PC besides the fan, and is this noise level linked to the quality of the component?

Cheers

jtrader.

 

[JonnyT]

Hi jtrader,

The noise can come from several sources:

1) CPU Fan
2) PSU Fan/s
3) Case Fan/s
4) Graphics Card Fan/s
5) Motherboard South/North Bridge Fan
6) Hard Drives

In all cases the fans can be replaced with almost quiet ones.

So much so you can hear a pin drop.

Near silent PSUs can be purchased for around £35.

If you want to reduce the noise then you need to first establish the main culprit and go from there.

www.overclockers.co.uk has or at least did have a good choice of near silent fans.

Alternatively buy a Shuttle.

HTH

JonnyT

 

[JTrader]

Thanks JT

i hadn't realised that there was more than one fan in a PC. Having thought about it, there arte two distinct and equally loud sounds coming from it. One from the back where a fan blows air out, and there's also a noise from within the tower that I can't pinpoint - a general sound of something running.

It's not really a problem as such as I just accept it, and it's not an unpleasant noise, but when I get a new PC in a couple of years, I'll certainly ensure that the quietest of components are installed.


jtrader.

 

[JonnyT]

You can replace fans to quiet ones for something like £8

JonnyT

 

[JTrader]

Thanks JT

for £8 I'll look into it.