1

Windows XP is ending and people just do not want to give them up.

I’m working with a couple businesses right now to try and get them to update and they refuse to do so.

Me: XP is going away. Without updates you risk all your clients personal data and your entire business.

Them: Yes I know, but I just don’t want to spend the money now on new computers.

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50 Spice ups
2

Are the PC’s that old they cant upgrade?

3

They can write it off as an expense at the end of the year anyway.

3 Spice ups
4

Yes.

5

EXACTLY!

2 Spice ups
6

Maybe you should provide a quick write up on how much money they’ll save in the long run by purchasing computers that run loads faster than what they are using.

7

Can I ask a question? How long have you been doing their work?

3 Spice ups
8

Perhaps you need to implement a little Upgrade-Inducing Sabotage ™.

2 Spice ups
9

Push and push and push and when you are done banging your head against a brick wall, if they are your responsibility, have them sign away any right to blame you and document all emails. If not, then walk away and let them realize their mistake later. Then it’s emergency time plus a huge sale. Then you rinse and repeat 10 years from now.

6 Spice ups
10

That is a great idea on their part. Company’s that avoid technology standards and root themselves in the past have an advantage in today’s world.

4 Spice ups
11

Not in a business environment but in personal ones, I have done this before. I was later thanked for “trying to save” their old computer and that they were MUCH happier with the new one. Little did they know

12

We have the Data Protection Act in the UK which means that the directors of a company are liable for the data security of their company. There are significant fines for the directors if they don’t comply.

I just point this out, and the fact that insecure XP systems could leak to data leaks and they soon start to listen.

1 Spice up
13

I find that a lot of businesses do not care, they claim they do not have the money, when yet they are spending money on other crap.

I have one client like that right now. They are running XP and claim they do not have the money, and they are looking for some sort of grant from the city on improving their business and trying to throw the cost of a new computer into that mix. When I know for a fact they do have the money because they are always blowing money here and there on what I call stupid things. If you want to blow your money on stupid things that’s fine, but how about investing in your company a little first.

To some it is just not a priority.

3 Spice ups
14

I used to do work for a small law office. I literally was throwing away computers that were better than the office managers. Countless phone calls about their junk. I go there one day and I ask, where’s numbnuts (ok, not really, but I was thinking that)? Oh, he’s in Spain with his family. They’re touring Europe for five weeks. I quit returning their calls. She quit about a week later. Enough’s enough.

15

if you have a few spare PCs that are running windows 7. Let them borrow them. Show them that running on the new hardware will make their employees more efficient. Show them how much more it is costing them to stay on the legacy systems.

Make sure they know that if a system dies or a component dies in a machine? the cost for that old hardware is higher than in a new machine that has a warranty. Most old machines have fatigue and will not operate the same way even with a new OS and some upgrades.

Also refuse to resuscitate old machines when they die. No more Frankenstein machines!

2 Spice ups
16

Having worked in small businesses my entire career (Except for now) it’s not always as easy as it seems… Sure you can write it off at the end of the year, but you need the capitol to invest to be able to write it off… I’ve worked at companies that it was day to day paying any bill let alone payroll and keeping up with the other commitments. We had a lot of money roll through our account, and most people would think we should be flush with cash… But most of that money was customer prepayments for services that required payment up front… Just saying it’s not always as easy as it sounds :slight_smile:

2 Spice ups
17

Not seeing a problem here… It’s not your business. And they will certainly understand why your hourly rate will increase 50% since XP is going to become a whole lot harder to support once MS stops patching it.

2 Spice ups
18

Document all the reasons why they should upgrade and the pitfalls that come with not upgrading and make sure that it’s documented that you provided this information to them. Basically, send them an email, with a read receipt. If they decide to stick with XP, then you’ve CYA’d and it’s their ass when the fecal matter collides with the impeller blades.

19

Depreciating technology every 4-6 years should always be in the budget. You can get away with 10 years if you buy high quality networking equipment. But most workstations are only good for 4-6 years max.

2 Spice ups
20

It’s more because they don’t care than they can’t afford it. “Something new!? Change!?!? Good God, no!!”

2 Spice ups