Sounds like it’s a 32bit program, Zwift is a 64bit program only. Yes, there are 64bit version of Windows XP, but those were not very widespread.
Zwift is also a very graphical program, which I am guessing the program you are referring to is not.
If you are not going to say the program you are referring to, how can we even compare?
I knew that 'cuz I’m doing it all the time myself. Just had to point it out. 
Thanks, that is what I meant, but missed an important word.
I’ll correct it.
Any modern home internet router from a halfway reputable isp will be closed down from the outside (no open ports by default) .
Please explain how you are going to hack into such a device.
Through your unsupported OS that has unpatch exploits. BTW, there are still open posts on routers to the inside, but I’m sure you already knew that.
You are still confusing a router with a firewall.
Most modern routers have firewalls built in (most are actually running embedded Linux). On all my recent routers I’ve had to manually allow access to port 22 for a IP range to allow me to ssh to home from work
But there are still open port and putting an unsupported OS with unpatch exploits on the internet is just asking for trouble.
I just don’t see why some are so hesitant to upgrade to Win10.
There are no open ports. You can check by running nmap on the IP address exposed by the router which you can get either from your ISP or by setting the router to update a DNS service like no-ip to the latest IP address every time it changes.
If there are no open posts your connection to the internet and Zwift would not work.
So you are saying I can put my 1050ti in an XP computer and download a driver from Nviidia. It not just about Zwift.
You’re confusing incoming and outgoing ports. Firewalls allow outgoing connections but deny incoming connections unless they are opened by configuration. Once you open a socket via an outgoing connection the server can send data back on the open socket.
Its interesting that the 32bit and 64bit topic has been addressed. I’m using Win 7 64bit Pro and guess where Zwift installs itself? The Zwift installer will install Zwift into the 32bit program folder (not the 64bit program folder). Zwift is actually a 32bit program (not 64bit) running in a 64bit OS environment. Side note: Since Zwift is a 32bit program, it’s RAM use is limited to 4GB.
I’m guessing this is why they recommend 8GB of RAM for Zwift so that there is plenty of RAM for other programs to use also. Zwift installs itself into my 32bit program folder when being installed. I wonder if anyone else here is seeing the same thing in their 64bit computers? (I wonder). If so, can we confirm that Zwift is actually a 32bit program (not 64bit) running in a 64bit OS environment?
About Justin’s programs:
The one program that I’m talking about comes in both 32bit and 64bit versions. Justin has both bases covered. Its a DAW that is used for digital audio production in both private and major professional recording studios world wide. Example: It has been used in the same studio (Abbey Road) where the Beatles recorded and many others. It has been used for working on audio in major movie productions also. The first program that he created was Winamp for AOL years ago (which he made plenty of money on with that one software product alone). However, the other product that he developed that I speak of is REAPER (a digital audio workstation). REAPER is now as big as “Protools” (DAW) by Avid. Protools was the industry standard for many years because they were the first company to create a product of that nature for recording in studios.
Justin created both Winamp and REAPER and is a master programmer. I helped (my input) in regards to a few features that became standard in a few of the stock plugins in REAPER. I’m no master programmer myself, but he is a master programmer, world known, and highly respected around the world for his programming skills and knowledge. He programmed his product to be compatible with all operating systems (I’m using him and his product REAPER as an example).
I’m only trying to make the point that if Zwift wanted to keep their program operating on older Windows operating systems, they could. For some reason, Zwift decided to abandon those systems now (which does not seem to make sense here, but…).
I feel that it would be better for them to stay on all operating systems (new and past) for better financial gain and to have more users. But, its their choice. I personally feel they should have waited another 10 years (maybe) before leaving those OS systems behind. I’m sure that they have their reasons. I’m not “knocking” Zwift for their decision, however I feel that (in my opinion) its not wise to do so in 2022 (I feel that its too soon).
In conclusion:
Zwift has decided to drop Win 7 and Win 8 and that is their choice to do so. I may not agree with their plan (I feel that it is way too soon to do that). They may (and will) lose existing customers due to that decision and may loss some money because of less users. How much less? Who knows? I feel that if they want to stay on top of the game in a financial way (most earned income) and have many more happy customers who have all different types (and ages) of computers running Zwift, then they should keep the system operational on Win 7 and Win 8 for several more years to come before they abandon those operating systems and everyone (all parties) are happy. Zwift will have more customers/subscribers overall and benefit financially also by this (in theory). Its a “win win” situation for everyone.
I’m not a master programmer, but it appears to me that adjusting the existing program to be compatible across a wider range of operating systems that still exist and still in use today would make the most sense to me from a business stand point. That is my opinion. I don’t work at Zwift and I have no idea what goes on there behind the scenes. I’m just expressing my opinion from a “common sense” approach based on my observations.
I work on networks for a living and you are 100% wrong. If no traffic is allowed in you would never be able to log into Zwift, see other riders, open website, see images and so on. I am sure you have port 80 and 443 open at least.
What about graphic drivers?
You are comparing 2 completely different types of programs. I can install Office 2003 on XP and all the way to Win11, but there is no way that compares to Zwift.
No, the servers I connect to have ports 80 and 443 open, thats why they’re called HTTP servers. Tcp works by having a server listening on a port that clients connect to. The ensuing data interchange can then be bi-directional.
Graphic drivers.
You make a good point.
If new drivers are not being created for
older Windows OS and cards, that would
be a problem. You have a very good point there
and I agree.
Newer Zwift software versions could include graphic elements that would render very poorly or not at all, on older GPU’s.
Viruses? It’s 2021, not 2001. You seem to be worryingly uninformed about modern security exploits. I can’t help you if you think that going against fhe advice of any decent security expert is a good idea.
If it’s “all about making money”, how come Win 10 is a free upgrade for home users?
What about the ports that are already opened by the user doing something from their end, e.g.a web browser (or any client program talking to another server), and something bad being sent back?
Unless you have a stateful inspection firewall and all sorts of extra protection that a home router doesn’t have, you’re wide open to exploits that haven’t been patched on your OS.
You seem to think that the danger is only about someone “hacking in” to your computer independent of anything that you might be doing on it.
The only open ports are ports I explicitly open. So, either I start a web server or sshd on a machine behind the router, and port forward;. Or some application I launch uses UPNP (or something similar) , in which case I rely upon the correct functioning of that application.
Further, I can easily port-scan the machine I use for zwift, to ensure that nothing is opening a port without my knowledge.
I’m very confident that I don’t need a firewall or antivirus for my dedicated zwifting computer.
Remind me not to hire you to manage my network if that’s your understanding.