[HN Gopher] Steam will drop support for Windows 7 and Windows 8 ...
       ___________________________________________________________________
        
       Steam will drop support for Windows 7 and Windows 8 on January 1,
       2024
        
       Author : JohnTHaller
       Score  : 27 points
       Date   : 2023-03-28 15:50 UTC (7 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.engadget.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.engadget.com)
        
       | Am4TIfIsER0ppos wrote:
       | I guess it's good the program won't autoupdate and lobotomize
       | itself in the process.
       | 
       | https://archive.is/IisBk
        
       | mrpippy wrote:
       | Blaming Chromium/CEF for this seems a bit disingenuous.
       | 
       | Steam currently uses an ancient version of CEF (85.something),
       | but they could update to CEF 110 (almost the latest) and still
       | keep support for Win7/8/8.1.
        
       | snickerbockers wrote:
       | There are some games on steam that don't work on newer windows
       | versions; does this mean that steam will be selling games that
       | are unplayable under any circumstances?
        
         | AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote:
         | They'll likely be playable under Proton, but of course that
         | won't be available for Windows users, somewhat ironically.
        
           | agildehaus wrote:
           | Sounds like they should make that happen.
        
         | dharmab wrote:
         | This is already the case. People are generally buying those
         | games for the licenses and then using mods. For example, you
         | can buy Falcon 4.0 on Steam, but the only reason to do so is to
         | legally play "Falcon BMS", an otherwise standalone free game
         | using Falcon 4.0 assets and code.
        
       | sylware wrote:
       | ... but the client is still 32bits and on elf/linux it even
       | statically load opengl instead of libdl-ing its system deps.
       | 
       | And since win64 does not change, I wonder what things are on
       | win10 and not win[78]. I guess this is about the thing which does
       | not exist in the first place, a fantasy: "computer security".
       | 
       | ahem... at least we are getting a cs2 with a clean vulkan3D
       | engine for free.
        
         | smt88 wrote:
         | Computer security isn't a fantasy to anyone who isn't an
         | absolutist. There is a spectrum of security.
        
           | hulitu wrote:
           | Yes there is a spectrum. But Win 10 and 11 is not there.
        
             | smt88 wrote:
             | Who's claiming that those are 100% secure? They're among
             | the most secure OS's available because they're attacked
             | incessantly by sophisticated actors.
             | 
             | When MS drops support for 7/8, they'll be far more secure,
             | which is what we're talking about here.
        
               | satoshiiii wrote:
               | windo$e itself is a security threat (spyware)
        
               | hacym wrote:
               | This thought progress is unproductive at best.
        
               | satoshiiii wrote:
               | What thought process? Here are some facts to back it up:
               | 
               | https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-microsoft.en.html
        
       | lockhouse wrote:
       | Windows 10 and 11 count for over 95% of Steam users on Windows.
       | 
       | Supporting older versions isn't worth the effort for them
       | anymore.
        
         | brute wrote:
         | 98% to be precise.
         | 
         | But still, with 132 million active monthly users, that leaves
         | 2.4 million people who now can't access their games. So I
         | disagree with that being "not worth the effort".
        
           | ProllyInfamous wrote:
           | I am one of us 2.4mGards.
           | 
           | Actually just breathed a sigh of relief, as this will allow
           | me to finally dispossess myself of my long-owned Core2Duo
           | GTA-IV rig that I hadn't been able to let go of, just hours
           | ago.
           | 
           | You have been a great machine, but it's time for us to move
           | along.
        
         | AustinDev wrote:
         | I also imagine that it's harder for VAC to detect cheats in
         | those relatively old operating systems. I know for some hacks
         | you have to run certain versions of windows with known
         | vulnerabilities to evade detection.
        
       ___________________________________________________________________
       (page generated 2023-03-28 23:02 UTC)