# Processing Forum doesn't like my Windows-7 PC

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859>\
**Category:** Site Feedback\
**Created:** [February 8, 2026, 11:53am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859 "2026-02-08T11:53:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RichardDL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@RichardDL](https://discourse.processing.org/u/RichardDL)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2026, 11:53am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859/1 "2026-02-08T11:53:53Z")

</div>

My favourite computer is running Windows-7 and Firefox 115.32.Oesr. Recently the Processing Forum has declared this as unsupported, shows in a miserable format, and doesn’t allow posting.

I understand that testing on all old versions of browser is not possible, but was it necessary to go this far? Could ‘you’ have put up a notice to the effect of ‘Not supported, some things may not work’. I’m sure most things will work. If anything doesn’t work the interested users will have a topic to list what doesn’t work and discuss any workarounds.

The ideal of [Processing.org](http://Processing.org) is programming education for all. ‘All’ may include people who can’t afford to keep changing their PCs (as Microsoft require). The forum should not be pushing people to buy new PCs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2026, 2:10pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859/2 "2026-02-08T14:10:06Z")

</div>

Hello Richard,

> [@RichardDL](#):
>
> Recently the Processing Forum has declared this as unsupported, shows in a miserable format, and doesn’t allow posting.

Please elaborate.

Is this (link below) the message you saw or similar?

- [Looks like I may be unable to use the forum soon - General Discussion - jMonkeyEngine Hub](https://hub.jmonkeyengine.org/t/looks-like-i-may-be-unable-to-use-the-forum-soon/48321)

My research…

Discourse has its own browser support policy and targets only current versions of modern browsers.

Unsupported operating systems and browsers carry **security risks** which is why modern software and services eventually stop supporting them.

References:

- [Extended Firefox ESR 115 Support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 and macOS 10.12-10.14 - Future Releases](https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2025/09/04/firefox-esr-115-support-for-windows-7-8-and-8-1-and-old-mac-os-versions-extended-until-march-2026/)  
They extended from 2024 to 2025 and then again to 2026.
- [New Forum - Processing 2.x and 3.x Forum](https://forum.processing.org/two/discussion/27995/new-forum.html)
- [About support for legacy browsers - #3 by Steven - Support - Discourse Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/about-support-for-legacy-browsers/210258/3)
- [Firefox support for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 | Firefox Help](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support)
- [Windows 7 - Microsoft Lifecycle | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-7)

“The only constant in the universe is change.”  
Attribution: commonly attributed to Heraclitus

“The only thing that’s permanent in life is impermanence.”  
Attribution: Thor Odinson, _Avengers: Endgame_ (2019)

_[Roll with it - Idioms by The Free Dictionary](https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/roll+with+it)_

I’m interested in hearing about any workarounds or solutions to this.

`:)`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sterretje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@sterretje](https://discourse.processing.org/u/sterretje)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 8:52am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859/3 "2026-02-09T08:52:27Z")

</div>

This is posted using Firefox 140.4.0esr (32 bit) on an very old PC (over 15 years) running Antix Linux.

Can’t you upgrade to a newer Firefox esr version?

> [@glv](#):
>
> Unsupported operating systems and browsers carry **security risks** which is why modern software and services eventually stop supporting them.

Security is unfortunately not the only reason; Discourse is pushing all kinds of fancy stuff that nobody (my opinion) is waiting for and that requires newer browsers.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ProcessingOrg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/processingorg/32/18341_2.png) [@ProcessingOrg](https://discourse.processing.org/u/ProcessingOrg)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 1:42pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859/4 "2026-02-09T13:42:52Z")

</div>

Hi @RichardDL,

I hear your frustration about the forum no longer working properly on your setup.

The forum is hosted on Discourse, and we do not control their software updates or browser support decisions. There is no intention on our part to push people to buy new hardware.

If you would like to raise concerns about browser support, the right place to do that is directly with the Discourse team: [https://meta.discourse.org/](https://meta.discourse.org/)

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.

(Raphaël)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sterretje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@sterretje](https://discourse.processing.org/u/sterretje)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 5:07pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859/5 "2026-02-09T17:07:52Z")

</div>

From [Dropping iOS 15 & other old browsers in July 2025 - Announcements - Discourse Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/dropping-ios-15-other-old-browsers-in-july-2025/358131)

> [@sam](#):
>
> This change will also affect older versions of other browsers. The minimum Firefox version with support for these features is v128 (July 2024), and the minimum Chrome(ium) version is v119 (Oct 2023). Users who are able to update to a newer version of these browsers can do so to avoid being impacted.
> 
> For users of Windows 7 and XP who are unable to update Chrome/Firefox, you may want to consider a third-party chromium fork such as [Supermium](https://www.win32subsystem.live/supermium/) or [Thorium](https://thorium.rocks/win7) .

Further, Firefox 140.4.0esr seems to be available for Windows.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RichardDL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@RichardDL](https://discourse.processing.org/u/RichardDL)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 3:31pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859/6 "2026-03-05T15:31:54Z")

</div>

Thank you all for your comments. Something I’ve been meaning to do for a while is to load Linux on an old-Windows laptop. Now I have another reason to get on with that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EricRogerGarcia](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/ericrogergarcia/32/21029_2.png) [@EricRogerGarcia](https://discourse.processing.org/u/EricRogerGarcia)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859/7 "2026-03-09T18:09:40Z")

</div>

Try LInux… MInt Mate version (I use it on an old computer)… it works fine on old computers (and new too !!!) .

Very easy to install and use (simpler than windows !!!)

I can help if you need it (but it is so simple, you shouldn’t need any help). I can suggest some 10 minutes tricks to make it beautiful. You shouldn’t use the Cinnamon version on an old computer (it works but it is a little slower). you need to save your files on a USB disk for example before and a USB key to install it.

I use it for 10 or 15 years and I don’t feel to change for another linux distribution (I try sometimes but it works so well I come back to it each times). There is everything you need on [https://www.linuxmint.com/](https://www.linuxmint.com/)

You may have it on a dual boot (windows and linux on the same disk)… but you don’t need it to test it before using it. You may start your computer on the USB key with linux mint on it and see (it doesn”t change anything on your hard disc).

tell me if you have any problem to try this : I can help you on a videoconference on another computer if you need it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EricRogerGarcia](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/ericrogergarcia/32/21029_2.png) [@EricRogerGarcia](https://discourse.processing.org/u/EricRogerGarcia)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 9:37pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/processing-forum-doesnt-like-my-windows-7-pc/47859/8 "2026-03-09T21:37:45Z")

</div>

The only “tricky part” may be sometimes to tell the BIOS to start on the USB key.

It is different on each computer

We always manage to do it even if in some cases it takes a few minutes to find out how to go about it!

**and something else about the Cinnamon version :**

It is nicer (at first) but the “control center” (where you modify the parameters) is done better on Mate desktop (so if you don”t like to much the terminal like me…).

I use the Terminal almost only for git !