Not so long ago the Web exploded with quite some news. Gmail, one of the most popular email account providers, will stop working.
Used to writing your business messages and making multimillion deals through this service? Then you made the right decision by choosing to continue reading this article.
Starting from February 8, 2017, some changes might affect you. Or, perhaps, one of your friends. Why ‘might’ and ‘perhaps’? Well, it looks like the Internet is exaggerating things a little bit. As usual.
What Is the News Actually About?
Gmail is not shutting down. But if you are using Windows XP or Windows Vista and the Chrome browser – you will soon come across some modifications. Nothing too frightening, so don’t panic.
Until the end of this year, you will still be able to use Gmail. But every time you enter your mail, you will see a special banner. Google has confirmed this information in January 2017.
If your Chrome Browser version is 53 and older, the banner will be suggesting you to update to a newer version. There are currently 58 versions of the browser. The first 55 have been discontinued and only the 56th version is a stable channel.
It means that it has been 100% tested by the team and is the best version available at the moment. The other two versions are beta and dev channels. These ones can show you the upcoming improvements. While the dev channel is updated more often, the beta channel is safer to use.
After the year ends Gmail will still be available. But only the HTML version of it.
Why?
After reading the previous paragraph, a lot of people are going to have only one question. Why?
Well, the old Chrome Browser versions installed on Windows XP or Vista are vulnerable, when it comes to providing safety. Because Microsoft decided to stop its operating system support for Windows XP and Vista.
Google is trying to encourage the users to start using safer versions. To make sure that all your private messages and personal data remain secret. If you don’t want to spend time updating – no serious problems will arise in your life. But make sure to spread the information amongst your friends. Maybe, there is a lad that can’t stand annoying banners.
People’s Reaction
Surprisingly, there hasn’t been a big fuss about this issue on the Internet.
A few users point out the warm relationships between Microsoft and Google. The chances are high that Google decided to partner with MS to advertise their new Chrome Browser version and the other way round.
It looks, like Google and MS started to love each other, recently Google recommending to use only Windows Defender and now forcing people to move to 10, like MS does, a great partnership. Michal Ostrihoň comments.
The other half of the Internet is searching for holes in the Google+Microsoft plan. Gmail will not be changing its appearance for the Mozilla Firefox users, for example. Anyone out there still using Internet Explorer?
Well, it looks like this dinosaur will be supporting the familiar version of Gmail. Finally, the old conservatives will have at least some advantages.
I can access Gmail and most other Google services in Firefox, which according to a (google it) December 23 notice will continue supporting XP and Vista on its ESR branch. Albin says.
Do you still choose to continue using the old Chrome Browser versions? And you are not ready to change your operating system? Well, you have been warned.
Google advises you to upgrade to the newer versions if online safety is the number one priority for you. If not – you can still be using the ‘oldies’.
These changes can become the beginning of the end for Windows XP and Windows Vista. To update the browser to a newer version, the users would have to change their operating system. Selecting a non-windows platform can also become an option.
Anyways, Gmail won’t stop working. And you have plenty of time to make the right decision, as February 8 isn’t a deadline. So, no big reason to worry.
By the way, what is your browser of choice?
