autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

Looks like I need to bite the bullet and pay Adobe monthly :(
A little history, I shoot RAW on a couple of older cameras and my version of CS3 supports them and the RAW conversions fine. I do all my edits on an older PC running XP, again works fine for my D300 Nikon and my 20D Canon. Here's the problem, I picked up a used Nikon D850 knowing that I'd have to convert the RAW files to DNG in order to edit the files, but the good old XP operating system is not supported for the DNG converter. Here's my quandary: If I go to the monthly paid Creative Cloud will I have issues using an XP PC? And, can my finished edited images be saved on my hard drive, or only in their cloud? And finally, do I buy a new desktop that'll support the DNG converter (trying to avoid this option now retired and living on a fixed income) running a supported O/S Windows 7 or Windows 10 (that I absolutely hate, have this nightmare Win 10 on a laptop) ?
I would appreciate any and all the help you guys can provide, thanks Vince

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Win10 isn't perfect. But, it's far superior to prior versions, with the caveat of also having relatively new(er) equipment. Anyone thinking it's a 'nightmare' or even slightly a problem is plain wrong or otherwise misinformed. If you can run the DNG converter and your old software can open and successfully edit the converted file, you don't need to start the subscription if determined not to. Regarding the subscription, the software and your edited images reside right there on your computer, just like always. Your decision to back-up your images to the cloud is a separate decision and has nothing to do with how / where the image edits occur.

TBerwick Loc: Houston, Texas

XP might NOT run the newest Adobe products. I work on computers for my job & share your opinion on Win10 but I've had to bite the bullet & learned to deal with it. Fortunately there is a wealth of info on the web dealing with 10's idiosyncracies.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Concerning the XP machine, I can't imagine processing an image that large with the limited memory and processing power of an XP platform. Not sure where your Win10 horror stories originate, but 10 is probably the most robust and fastest OS MS has built. I'm running 3 win 10 platforms at home, and we have over a dozen at work, and we've had zero issues. My only complaint with the Home version is the limited control over updates - you can delay, but not prevent them. If that bothers you, buy the professional version of the OS, but personally, i wouldn't spend the $ as there are really no other advantages for the home user. There's also nothing wrong with s used Win7 machine, but it's already on extended support, and it will get harder and harder to get drivers etc as time goes on. Whatever you get, I would advise 16 GB of memory minimum, an SSD for the OS and Aps ( photos can go on spinning disk) and an I5, I7 or one of the new AMD processors. I know updating the computer is hard after buying a new camera, but trying to PP files that big on an XP machine, even if you can find a way to read the raw files will be an exercise in frustration.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

"And, can my finished edited images be saved on my hard drive, or only in their cloud?"

I'll only address this question. Not a computer techie. When using the Adobe subscription plan you can choose to use the desktop version and a cloud version, you can even use both if you want to do that. I use the desktop version, called Lightroom Classic, and also use Photoshop. You import your images, which actually translates as "link," into LR but the images are kept on your hard drive where ever you have placed them. Nothing is stored inside the LR software, it is simply linked up to your files. So, nothing is in the cloud unless you choose to use the subscription that way. The software is also on your computer, not in the cloud, unless you are using the cloud based software.

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

Thanks guys, for all your replies, much appreciated. Sounds like my concerns about where the files reside has been answered. As far as Windows 10, my complaint is not with the performance but rather the look and navigation of the new GUI. Computers in general and Windows are not new to me, I go back to my first PC's running MSDOS, and that, with it's had to be perfect syntax was really nutty! Windows 10 is on my laptop which is what I now communicating with you on. But all my edits are done on the old XP machine with a calibrated CRT monitor, and flat screens with their highly saturated bright colors and high contrast ratios, and not to mention viewing angle issues worry me when it come to getting prints to match what you see, or vice versa. (we still do a lot of printing for friends, family, and customers) I know I will probably have to upgrade my desktop from the sound of it, and maybe then with a newer O/S I can get the DNG converter to work and keep CS3 operating. Thanks again guys!

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Have you looked into the possibility of attaching your monitor to the Win10 laptop and using that combination? I did that for a while when my computer quit. At the time I had neither the money to have the computer fixed, nor to buy a new one.
Even from the laptop, I was able to calibrate the monitor.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Well, aside from the fact that MS withdrew support (and security updates) from XP in 2014, potentially leaving your computer open to malware, and that Adobe is slowly moving away from support of even Windows 7 (there are a few "features" that are not supported on 7), and the fact that CS3 is now 12 yrs old and clearly not supported in any way, shape or form, I'd say you are due for an upgrade in software and computer.

I know change is hard (I'm still running Win7), but at some point holding on to this old stuff becomes self-defeating.

Adobe's subscription software is pretty amazing, especially compared to CS3. There are SO many reasons to upgrade to it that when you finally do it you'll be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner.

When you get a new computer, you'll have a similar epiphany. There is a poster on another thread the bought a new machine, with 32 gb ram, i7 9th Gen CPU, 6 gb graphics card, with a SSD boot drive, and what used to take minutes now happens in under a second.

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-598977-1.html
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-600284-1.html

Trying to figure out how to avoid upgrading your software and hardware isn't worth the lost opportunities. At the very least, you'll recoup more of your time for shooting with the new camera. Those huge files ought to be enough of an incentive to upgrade your stuff.

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

thanks, that's food for thought, I appreciate your suggestion!

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

thanks very much Gene, but as I mentioned earlier living without a regular paycheck is not easy. The golden years are not always golden! A decision to go with what you suggested 10 years ago would have been a no brainer. That said, I'm faced with having to consider all options, and unfortunately, some of those options may not be optimal. Our daughter is getting married in August, and she asked us to photograph her wedding, and we couldn't say no to her. (my wife is also a photographer and we have shot many weddings over the years, so we're quite aware of what that's all about) Our concern about doing that is doing it with 15 year old cameras, and the chance of gear failures. Not only was it a great deal on the D850 in mint condition, but the upcoming wedding was the driving force in making the decision to purchase it. But again, thanks Gene...I know I have some serious decisions to make, and they will cost me some bucks!

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Get a new computer too.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

As noted by others, XP is out of date and not supported. As such it is a liability if it is connected to the internet.

If you sign up for the Adobe package (something I recommend personally) you will have to connect to the internet at least occasionally. The internet will be required to (1) download the program and updates; and (2) confirm to Adobe about once a month that your subscription has been paid. You do not have to store anything in the cloud, all your files and programs are local.

But since you will have to connect an XP system to the internet, your FIRST act should be to review your archive and your archiving protocol. If you get hacked due to an insecure OS, you could potentially lose valuable files. You should check to see that everything important is backed up (not just your photos).

I recommend a three-drive solution at the minimum. One drive gets connected to your computer and archives everything as you do it or possibly manually on a regular schedule. The second drive gets connected to your computer and the two drives get synchronized on a regular schedule. Then the second drive gets unplugged and stored somewhere else in your house, not near your computer. A third drive gets synchronized occasionally also, then is unplugged and stored somewhere else, not in your house and preferably a few miles away. Local drives have the advantage that they can be connected and you can restore lost files quickly and without initernet bandwidth problems. Cloud backup services have the advantages that they are immune to regional disasters and the storage media are professionally maintained. Local drives have the disadvantage that they can fail occasionally (one reason for having several drives in your archive protocol). Cloud services have the disadvantage that they have an annual fee and are subject to bandwidth problems.

PS: I got my desktop just before Win10 arrived. I used Win7 up until the end of 2018, when I updated to Win10. It is true that Win10 has some differences from previous systems but on the whole is appears to be fairly robust and has not caused any major problems. The biggest problem I have encountered is automatic updates. If you're working on something and Win10 wants to update, you can put it off. But if you're working on something and break for lunch and Win10 decides it wants to update while you're away from your computer, you could return to a bootup screen and whatever you were working on was lost up to the last backup. You have to get in the habit of saving your work manually even if you break for a minute or two. I have heard that Win10 will eventually change that so you can keep it from updating until you give the OK but I don't know when that will happen. In the meantime, the above is an annoyance, not a reason to update your OS.

PPS: Photographing your daughter's wedding is a whole nother topic. I believe it can be done by the parents, and I don't want to hijack the current discussion, but it can be tough and can limit your enjoyment of the wedding. You should have a third shooter because in general you will need some group shots where both you and your wife are in the photo. Of course that applies to traditional weddings and young people try to change traditions when they can, but you should keep it in mind.

PPPS: Have fun with the 850 and show us the pictures.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Threre are a number of applicable “classic shells” for Windows 10 to give you the GUI that you desire. In fact Win 10 allows you use the “classic view” in file explorer that can be customized. With the exception of the start menu, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between my Win 10 and an XP machine. Note that I’m still running 3 XP machines that are dedicated to specific tasks, and I would gladly upgrade them to 10 (or 7), but MBs of that era typically don’t support the necessary amount of DRAM (not to mention CPU performance)

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

Thank you, I'm fully aware of the potential threats on the internet and the reason for backup. My XP system is old, but 1)I am very careful with the sites I visit and rarely view mail on it, 2) I have a well reviewed and fairly robust anti virus program running on it, and 3) the system has 2 large drives internal, one for the O/S and program files only, and the second for photos only. I also have a 3TB external drive that is used for backup.

And concerning the wedding, I'm not thrilled about having "to work" at her wedding, it wouldn't have been my choice, but the kids are trying to save money and she basically trusts the work that my wife and I will do for her. Hard to say no to your kids. And we do have a few friends who will be at the wedding and do have experience shooting, so for those moments that my wife and I will be in the shots that contingency is covered. But, I appreciate you taking the time to comment and for your suggestions.

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

yes, a major problem with XP, among others, is the very limited amount of RAM you can use, 4 gb total, of which only about 3 3/4's of it is useable.
Thanks, I need to find out how I can change the GUI to the classic look, so you say it's already on the PC to make that change?...need to figure out how, because that's my biggest gripe!