Using Windows 7 on an older laptop, I clicked the Start/menu icon, clicked Microsoft Security Essentials, in the resulting dialog box clicked Updates tab, which shows:
Definitions created on: 1/27/2020
Definitions lasts updated: 1/28/2020
From the Microsoft site:
As of January 14, 2020, your computer running Windows 7 will still function but Microsoft will no longer provide the following:
Technical support for any issues
Software updates
Security updates or fixes
Microsoft borked their last update (prior to their official end of support) and trashed a bunch of wallpapers. They were originally only going to fix it for people who paid for support, but then changed their mind and decided to push out an update to fix their mistake.
They pushed out the same update to everyone so that they wouldn’t have to create a separate update just for the borked wallpapers.
Microsoft will no longer make updates to the operating system, which is Windows 7.
Microsoft Security Essentials, which is an anti-virus software, will continue to update itself with new virus definitions (as in, patterns to look for to identify threats) as it is not tied to any one operating system.
Windows Defender is the current Microsoft antivirus. I believe MSE will stop updating if you have Windows 7. I have read that it might still update if you are using Windows 8, but Windows Defender is the default antivirus for Windows 8 and beyond.
I also believe that even if you have paid Microsoft’s “bend over and squeal like a piggy” price and purchased extended support for Windows 7 that MSE is not included in that and you still need to find an alternative for your antivirus.
Someone please let me know if I’m wrong (with an actual cite please if possible).
Windows 7 is arguably the best operating system that Microsoft has created, It works well on most computers, as long as they are not touch screen. Something which works well should be conserved, so that resources are not wasted replacing it. Perhaps I don’t have the money to spend to buy a new computer and a new operating system. Making my system obsolete intentionally is not a business practice, it is greed, pure and simple. There are enough new computers being sold to support Microsoft, but not enough to provide excessive profits. Those excessive profits are desired so strongly that businesses are being corrupted, destroyed, and convicted because of the pursuit of them.