Notice what I said. XP is wide open to viruses and other bad stuff invading. YES, you can use it, but you have to be very very careful and know what you're doing.

Windows 7 will be around for years. If you can afford to buy an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) DVD disk for $99.99 plus shipping, you'll be good to go for quite a while. Here is a link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416805

Windows 7 will have extended support from Microsoft until January 14, 2020. Windows 8 (not that hard to learn and about as pricey) is even longer. Windows 10 (which comes out for free July 29th for some people) will be supported for a long time, although you will have to pay for it at some point.

Bottom line: Don't use XP any more. You're really running big risks, unless you 1) run it in a virtual sandbox or 2) have antivirus/antimalware somehow modified to protect it.

This link lists antivirus products that protected XP in 2014. That was a year ago. Some probably still do, but check very carefully on their website.

If you have questions, please ask.

That's what I'm using right now.

(Microsoft Security Essentials) on Windows XP.

Do you actually use that antivirus program? If not, that article's irrelevant.

You need to exercise care and use decent antivirus software whatever operating system you're using.

I would leave the XP on the old computer. windows upgrades use a lot more system resources and memory.

An old computer could break at anytime, you may have files and pictures you want to save.

I recommend a flash storage device you plug into the comps USB port (cheap, around $3 or so), its easy to copy all your important files and photos on the flash sticks to save your files forever.

As the other posters said, use a good "user friendly" virus protection program. I use Norton, they have a straight retail yearly subscription fee that is expensive at the Norton website. But there are sales for yearly subscription on amazon.com and I pickup a low price sale cd and keep it on hand to renew.

Crazy as it sounds, I also recommend a third computer. You can take your time on the third computer, find a bargain new PC or perhaps a friend will give you their old computer. find a sale or a thrift shop large monitor for it, mouse and keyboard & you're all set. Don't even hook-up the third computer to the internet but you can take the time to set it up the way you want & get familiar with it. use your flash sticks to load your files and pictures.

Your laptop is important because that's your most portable computer, you can take it with you anywhere you go. good luck, computers are frustrating but to have the world at your fingertips sure is better then the 'old days'