Got this from a Windows Secrets newsletter.  Its not time to panic and change Operating System, but time to give it some thought. Win 7 will still be around for 5 years but no more fixes from Microsoft. 
 
Here is the article:
It might be difficult to believe, but on Jan. 13 we begin the final countdown for Windows 7.
On that date, one of Microsoft's best and most successful versions of Windows hits its official "end of mainstream support." Here's what that means for all Win7 users.

Windows 7 enters its extended-support phase
Most major Microsoft products have a formal life cycle that includes two key end-of-life dates. For Windows, those dates are listed on Microsoft's "Windows lifecycle fact sheet" webpage. The first date — End of mainstream support — effectively means that Microsoft will no longer offer free updates to the operating system.
Once mainstream support ends for a specific version of Windows, it then enters its Extended support phase, during which Microsoft offers only essential fixes and security updates. (Companies can also pay for specific nonsecurity updates.) When an OS reaches its End of extended support milestone, all official support ends. Windows XP, as many Windows Secrets readers know, passed its "End of extended support" date on April 8, 2014. It has not had official updates of any kind since. (For more specifics on MS product life cycles, see the online "Microsoft support lifecycle policy FAQ.")
As noted in the "Windows lifecycle fact sheet," Jan. 13 marks the end of mainstream support for all versions of Windows 7 SP1. What does that mean for the millions of us doing our daily computing on Win7 systems? Very soon, our operating systems will be essentially frozen — we'll no longer receive any enhancements or nonessential fixes. We will, however, receive monthly security updates until Jan. 14, 2020, Win7's official "End of extended support" date (at which point, Microsoft will want us on Windows 13 — or whatever it's then called).
Just as with XP this past April, Win7 systems should no longer receive updates of any kind after January 2020. And just as XP is now, Windows 7 will then become extremely vulnerable to new malware and exploits. Win7 will continue to work well after 2020 (there's no deadline for your Win7 license), but I wouldn't use it to go online. (I hope all XP users have heeded my advice and are now using some other device for their Internet activities.)
Bottom line: Windows 7 is far from dead, but it is entering its final phase of official life. It's time to plan for that change.

Hmmm. Thanks firebird. As I am just installing my stuff on a new i7 with 8.1, I thought about this eventuality for my Windows 7 laptop. My wife has 3 with 7, so I guess the planning stage has begun, like it or else!
 
Michael

I have the pre-release Windows 10 installed on my backup system.  I have Sonar X3 and my recording interfaces drivers installed on the Win 10 system.  Testing the recording, all runs without problems.  I will probably bypass Win 8.1 for my primary recording system and migrate from Win 7 to Win 10 on that system.
 
 

I suppose, if your X3 works on Win 10 I should consider that for my i7 laptop Win 7 Home Prem 64 bit.
 
Michael

Sonar is no problem.  The issue, could be, the recording interface units, etc.  Some need at a minimum Windows 8.1 compatible drivers. I have a Roland Studio Capture and an Octa-Capture.  The Octa-Capture needed a driver update to work properly with Windows 8.1.  The Studio-Capture drivers were 8.1 compatible.  My Frontier Tranzport works but it had to be installed in a Vista compatibility mode (same as Windows 8.1).
 
 

Oh woe is me.
 
I have five computers that run Windows 7. Once could ultimately be relegated to a NAS (which is my plan to augment my backup strategy).
 
Believe it or not, The Lovely Lady is still on XP as her work has not transitioned to a more modern OS yet. They have some obtuse reason (I cal it being L.A.Z.Y.)

Well 5 years away, in regards to third party driver support they could end support any time they want to they don't have to heed MS guidelines.

I have 7 on my desktop and Vista on my even crappier laptop and I use even the laptop online but with a sandbox program.
One could think that Linux would some day become a good choice as a DAW system, but that may take a long time. It may be though that I stop making music before 2020, but that would be a shame because music is really my only good hobby. But who knows, miracles happen so I might be making music seriously one day, although it is very unlikely especially with today's bad music finances.