No end of support prompt while installing latest version on Windows 7 (64 bit)

[mdibnjihan]

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes/No

• VS Code Version: 1.70
• OS Version: 6.1 (Build 7601: Service Pack 1)

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Hi, I uninstalled Visual Studio Code a few months ago and during this time the support for Windows 7 was ended for Visual Studio Code. I love VS Code and today I tried to re-install after a few months. I did not know that the support was ended for Windows 7. The program installed (downloaded the latest version) but did not open at all. After doing some research, I got the point.
2. My suggestion is it would be better if it gave a prompt like "This version is no longer supported on Windows 7" and block the installation. I think it would remove the confusion and also provide a better information on what's going on. Thanks, and take love <3

[MightyEagle82]

I would like to know is there real need to end support Windows 7? At the moment it has ESU till January 2023. And according this info it will be extended for another 3 years.

Is Windows 7 missing some features required by VS Code? Many people including me use Windows 7 till now for different reasons. By releasing version 1.71 you threw them away.

[yume-chan]

Is Windows 7 missing some features required by VS Code?

Yes, Electron uses a patch for libuv to maintain compatibility with Windows 7 for a long time.

I would like to know is there real need to end support Windows 7?

Node.js and Electron already ended their support for Windows 7. Not long ago, Electron had a bug (electron/electron#35219 (comment)) that broke the patch mentioned above, so it no longer runs on Windows 7, and VSCode team also decided to officially end the support for Windows 7.

By releasing version 1.71 you threw them away.

The bug is minor and now being fixed, so VSCode will work on Windows 7 again after upgrading its Electron version.

But since there is no automatic testing on Windows 7, and no Electron/VSCode developers use Windows 7, this situation can happen again and again, until one day there is a compatibility issue with Windows 7 that can't be fixed (or simply not worth fixing)

[MightyEagle82]

Thank you for the answer. I am glad to hear that you do your best to support compatibility with Windows 7.

[joaomoreno]

2. My suggestion is it would be better if it gave a prompt like "This version is no longer supported on Windows 7" and block the installation.

I like this suggestion. We should use MinVersion for this.

[abhiandthetruth]

@joaomoreno @yume-chan created a PR, can you please review?

[MightyEagle82]

Please don't block installation, just show the warning. You said that after the fix it would support Windows 7.

[abhiandthetruth]

@MightyEagle82 minVersion parameter is blocking. We can have custom handling of versions in Code section in InitializeSetup function within code.iss. I'll try that.
Meanwhile can @joaomoreno please confirm if this check has to be blocking? because the original issue comment suggests blocking the installation in point 2 to which @joaomoreno agreed, so I went ahead with that.

[MightyEagle82]

@abhiandthetruth I think you should give a chance Windows 7 users to use the latest versions of VS Code as long as it is possible according to @yume-chan comment.

[lorand-horvath]

@abhiandthetruth @joaomoreno Please don't block installation on Windows 7, this is not fair. The new Electron version 19.1 has the fix included and future VSCode including the fix would work without issue on Windows 7. Why block it? There are still many users on Windows 7.
A warning during installation would suffice.

[mdibnjihan]

abhiandthetruth as he did only change the innosetup minversion to Windows 8.

Though, it is awaiting a review to get merged.
You can modify this code if the Electron issue and vscode update the fix for Windows 7. I think it would be better if users switched to some other editor or OS like Win 8/10/11 or even Linux if they really need to use it.
It's better to use a maintained version rather than unmaintained version which somehow works on a platform with a risk that things might break in future due to lack of support and also affecting product impression.
Thank you, take love <3

[MightyEagle82]

@mdibnjihan The installer can show the warning that support of Windows 7 is ended and VS Code operation is not guaranteed. So the product impression won't be affected.

[joaomoreno]

Thanks for the discussion, everyone.

Blocking the installation on Windows 7 is the right thing to do here. Regardless of Electron's compatibility, we have made a product decision in terms of what OSs we want to support, and we've decided that Windows 7 is behind us. Besides, allowing to install on Windows 7 will just cause situations of "well, why can't you help me since I was able to install". It's best that we just don't allow to install. Old versions are still available, as usual.

[lorand-horvath]

@joaomoreno You could just as easily simply update to the fixed version of Electron 19.1 and VSCode would work without issues on Windows 7 once again. I really don't understand the reason for choosing the path of higher resistance here, instead of making a few Windows 7 users happy.

[MightyEagle82]

@lorand-horvath More than few. :)

[joaomoreno]

I really don't understand the reason for choosing the path of higher resistance here, instead of making a few Windows 7 users happy.

This is a VS Code product decision. Like any development team, our resources are not infinite and we can't commit to everything. Thanks for understanding.

[Rike-cz]

Well I have 8 yrs old high-end Fujitsu ntb with i7, it could work for more than next 4 yrs with no problems with performance, but after Microsoft denied upgrade to Windows 10+ due to some hardware stuff, next you denied upgrading VS Code/Codium due to weird reasons, so my ntb becomes a waste. This is what you thinking when talking about future, sustainable development, ecology, earth-saving Microsoft? @joaomoreno?

[joaomoreno]

@Rike-cz No one's forcing you to upgrade. Feel free to stay on version 1.70: it will run for a long long time.

[Rike-cz]

@joaomoreno I have better solution. Gimme big red alert that I am using unsupported version on my own risk and do not kick me restrictively from a stream of upgrade innovations. I will be with Windows 7 as every Linux user - or do you test VS Code/Codium against every possible Linux distro/forks? If someone has Windows 7 and VS Code/Codium together in these days, he knows what he's doing with all consequences. Do not upbring him by denying this service or being up-to-date.

[BuslikDrev]

I work in Notepad++