Yesterday, we talked about the unwavering 62% user base of Windows 10, even when it’s just 285 days away from retirement. Now, ESET, a German cybersecurity company, has rolled out a warning to 32 million computers in the country that are still using Windows 10.

Today, Windows Latest spotted a detailed German report published by ESET, a Germany-based cybersecurity company. The report talks about the problems with using a soon-to-be-deprecated operating system. Firstly, it sheds light on the slow adoption of Windows 11 because only 16.5 million PCs in the country use the latest and greatest OS from Microsoft.

Windows 10 continues to dominate the PC share in households and offices, with nearly 66% of users not upgrading (or cannot upgrade). Almost 1 million computers in the country still use Windows 8, 7, and even the much-loved XP (no mention of Vista, though).

Security Implications of using Windows 10 after Oct 14, 2025

ESET’s security expert Thorsten Urbanski advises everyone to not wait for the deadline and make the switch early. If you don’t have the right hardware and don’t want to spend, he simply suggests switching to Linux as the extended support program for enterprises is expensive and Linux is a better option for both security and can easily run on most PCs.

“ESET recommends switching to Windows 11 as quickly as possible,” the company noted in a statement initially given in German language. “Alternatively, a Linux distribution can also be a good option, especially for older hardware.”

Interesting times, right? We have come to a point where companies are now recommending Linux if customers cannot ditch Windows 10 and get Windows 11.

That’s mainly because the paid plans are expensive for businesses as they double every year.

The consumer edition’s extended support program is $30 a year, which is steep by even Microsoft’s standards.

He also warns that malicious actors are waiting for the deadline to arrive that will open doors to gain access to millions of Windows 10 PCs that don’t opt for the extended update program.

Windows Latest understands that there’s surely a distro that even a weak dual-core Windows 10 PC can run. However, not every organization can make the switch to Linux. Some use dedicated Microsoft services like Outlook and customized apps. Office on Linux isn’t even close to its Windows counterpart.

Most of these have a web version available, but then that’s a problem with Mobile Device Management (MDM) PCs.

Also, for basic companies and users, even installing Linux is a challenge, finding drivers and getting it up and running with all their favorite apps. We aren’t being dismissive of Linux here but that’s a reality.

Windows is a better operating system for personal and professional use any day, and Linux isn’t even close to Windows for most people if you’re looking for comfort. Of course, you can do pretty much anything on Linux as well, but it takes time and effort. Windows is a lot flexible and has great backward compatibility.

The best OS debate is another topic, and we’ll not get into that. You need to decide what’s best for you. There’s a lot of headroom, at least 284 days left until Windows 10 stops receiving updates on October 14, 2025.

You can use this time to learn to create a Linux bootable drive, find appropriate drivers for your PC, and switch to Linux if your PC doesn’t meet Windows 11’s minimum hardware requirements. Or you can simply upgrade the existing hardware and get Windows 11.

We’re also working on some tutorials to help you upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 or something else.

What about you? Will you switch to Windows 11, keep using Windows 10 without updates, pay for security updates, or try Linux? Let us know in the comments below.

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