xefe wrote on 2020-10-03, 15:21:

Baoran wrote on 2020-09-28, 21:46:

I watched a youtube video of what would be the best web browser for windows xp. They recommended a browser called Mypal and I downloaded it. Even if the web page claims the browser is still kept up to date it still seems have problems with many modern web pages. Does anyone have any experience of trying to use web in windows xp to download patches for games and such?

I use the last version of firefox available for xp and haven't had any problems whatsoever. Just be sure you know what you're doing, be cautious, as you have to always be even in a modern browser anyway.
When in doubt, open the site in a modern machine first, or on your phone.

I only wanted to use the browser to download patches for games from official web sites like ubisoft web site for silent hunter 3. Wanted to make that part simpler than having to download them on another computer and then use usb stick to move them over.

It's been a while since I turned on my WinXP desktop, even though I still consider it one of my "current"/everyday usage PCs.
But like xefe, I just run whatever is the last version of Firefox (52.something.ESR I think). Thus far I haven't run into any problems, but some bank web sites are starting to whine about it. I guess the end is coming.
I haven't been using NoScript ever since I reinstalled that machine, but I should.

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I've never worried much about using up to date or patched OSes, and I don't use any locally installed antivirus (but I do scan new downloads at virustotal). I haven't had any viruses/malware issues since the early 2000s when I got infected twice. My choice of OS had little relevance, I know what caused both of those infections and they were my own fault for doing things that were dumb.

Home users worry too much about patches IMO. If you're a patch away from getting infected then your system is probably unduly exposed. Only systems hosting internet services have a reason to be in that situation. Home systems shouldn't have enough exposure that a lack of a patch would place them at significant risk.
The exposure that's hard to avoid on home desktops is the script happy silliness of the modern web and the web browsers that gleefully support it. The options there are to restrict scripts via a plugin (which will make some web sites tedious to get working), or just stay away from dubious web sites.