Yes.
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I sense you may have jumped the gun on the shelving of Win8. The big update today has killed Zwift on my laptop which is running Win8âŚ
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Agreed. I see no reason why they cannot keep the Win 7 and Win 8 OS in use also. There are many people who are not interested in changing to Win 10 or Win 11. I guess Zwift wants to lower their financial gains in 2022 by reducing the amount of users on their platform? A bad business move on Zwiftâs part maybe?. Less supported operating systems = less money. I wonder if Zwift should bypass Microsoft and build their own dedicated unit to operate Zwift? A great gaming PC is not cheap. I wonder how many people that are currently happy using Win 7 and Win 8 will change their PC to Win 10 just to run Zwift? Looks like Zwift might abandon many users.
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Why would anyone want to keep an internet-connected PC on an unsupported operating system that has no ongoing security updates?
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A great gaming PC for Zwift* is not expensive.
*Makuri Islands excluded.
Because, if the only application being used is Zwift, and youâre running behind a reasonably modern network router (which 99% of people will be), then there is no need to run anti-virus, etc. these things are there to protect you from your own stupidity (i.e. accidentally clicking a link in a web-page, or downloading some email virus, viral attachment attachment) .
These scenarios donât apply when the computer is dedicated to running Zwift (which many people do). The only thing that happens when anti-virus and firewall crap is running in such a case is reduced Zwift performance.
Eventually Microsoft will figure out how to write a secure OS without it having to run hundreds of unnecessary services. Until then, we are stuck playing the constant upgrade game for no reason.
I donât see my win7 any less secure than a win10 and itâs handling Zwift just fine no problems no at all so it going to stay that way I just go somewhere else
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The extent of interaction with Windows 10 on my Zwift PC is as follows:
- Turn PC on.
- Check for Windows updates.
- Start Zwift.
- Close Zwift.
- Turn PC off.
I literally have no opinion on Windows 10 in terms of Zwift, itâs merely the platform on which the game runs best for my needs. If it ran best on Linux Iâd use that instead.
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I donât think security is the only reason. The OS is not supported by MS and therefor newer drivers and updates is not being pushed out. As Zwift grow and add new features and make use of new methods so must the older operating systems be put to bed.
Upgrading to windows 10 is not a big deal and many old pcâs will be able to run windows 10 and Zwift.
Other software will also require the newer operating systems.
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New versions of Zwift may require newer OS versions, although why that would be is unclear.
If it is the case that a new version requires an OS feature not available in an older OS, then the existing (fully functional) version should be allowed to remain in place, and remain functioning as before. Not forced to update.
Yes, eventually that compatibility will eventually fail - but since almost all of what is being transferred from the user to Zwift is the data collected from the unchanged trainer, this incompatibility should be absolutely minimal. OK, so the user doesnât get bug fixes or enhancements, or perhaps any new features, or even new âworldsâ (or whatever they are called), but at least their system continues to function without a costly computer/OS update.
No that sound unreasonable. And a big error trap for any development. Think of it if they use a new method to draw the road surface to reduce CPU usage but older OS does not support thatâŚ
We can kick and scream but at some point things will change and updates will be needed.
But it is not for me to defend, it is an internal decision from Zwift and probably with good reason. And if that free development time so that we can get more updates and more stable updates then it sound like a good idea.
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You could try Linux as for example How To Run Zwift on Linux | Zwift Insider. I havenât tried it yet myself , as The Acer Predator laptop I got had such a small SSD with Windows 10 on it, that Ididânt format and just installed a larger SSD to run Linux on so the only thing I use the Windows drive for is running Zwift and RGT. Presumably with VKD3D-Proton from Steam Zwift graphics requirements should be easy to meet since it emulates DirectX12 in Vulkan seamlessly for much more graphics intensive games than Zwift.
A router by default does not supply that much protection. I think you are confusing a router with a firewall. Most home routers donât have an active firewall running.
There is nothing wrong with Win10, but there are plenty of thinks wrong with running an unsupported, outdated OS.
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Itâs almost two years since extended support for Windows 7 ended. Mainstream support ended nearly seven years ago. Expecting Zwift to continue supporting it (even if no dependencies change, that means testing and validation - something they have enough problems with as it is) isnât realistic. The idea that they should have some sort of fork which doesnât get game updates is ridiculous. Good luck explaining that to thousands of support requests. Itâs arguable that Windows 8 could be left alone, but itâs far simpler to just get rid of both at the same time.
Oh and the cost to upgrade from Windows 7 or 8 to 10 is precisely zero.
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Can you name other games/programs/apps that are still continuing to support and develop for unsupported OSâs like Win7?
I donât see why some people are scare to upgrade to Win10, I have been running it without any issues for YEARS at home and at work.
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For home users. I would suggest business user ensure that they are fully licensed and compliant in case of audit.
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All editions activate in exactly the same way if the licence is valid, including Pro. Youâre not wrong that enterprise users should be careful, but thatâs not really the context weâre talking about.
Maybe you could list some other non-Microsoft commerical operating systems that donât have to be upgraded periodically so as to stay being supported?
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I donât object to updates in total. I do object to frequent upplication updates, like with zwift, which are mandatory to run an already installed and functioning application.
Almost every 2nd or 3rd update, - lately monthly - has a bug which wastes our time and disrupts our workout schedule.
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I know a master programmer who has made millions with his software programming. I bet you might have heard of at least one of his two products over the years (Hint: Justin). His current software program (which is complex) is used professionally world wide and is now considered an industry standard by many professionals. His software will work on all current OS systems and on all older OS systems all the way back to Windows XP. His current software might be used by more people than Zwift has users (a guess). Iâm not a programmer, but he is a master programmer and it is very possible for Zwift to make their system compatible with older systems (assuming Zwift has a great team of programmers, butâŚ).
About internet security: I also know people who are still using Win XP and Vista for internet that have no issues with viruses. Any modern PC can be infected with a virus if the user is not careful no matter what OS system is used. Just because Microsoft stops supporting security updates does not mean the software will be infected. Microsoft might want you to be scared and purchase the next ânew best thingâ because its all about making money. From a programming stand point: Windows 7 was one of the best OS that was ever made by Microsoft (under the hood). Its true that Win 10 (extensions/updates) has one thing new (one feature under the hood from a programming stand point) that can be a bonus over Win 7 if needed, but its not required to operate a program like Zwift. Welcome to the wonderful world of computers, programming, and money. 