I’m a loyal person, to my friends and to my things. I keep my car until it dies. I still have my first interview suit out of college (and can still wear it). So when my six-year-old computer went on the blink last month, I didn’t want to change the operating system. Good thing I did.

The Windows XP operating system is twelve years old. Although it is the second most-used after Windows 7, Microsoft is discontinuing updates and tech support.

Although the OS has been popular, it hasn’t been good for Microsoft. Its popularity made consumers stay away from new releases. Windows XP was good enough for most users as it did away with the traditional MS-DOS prompt commands and followed Apple’s visual interface. It also improved support for USB devices, enhanced security and simplified multimedia setup. It could also run most software. Consumers saw no need to upgrade.

However, change was needed as Windows XP was also used in other machines, not just laptops or desktops. Ninety-five percent of U.S. ATMs still use it. But last year, hackers in Europe exploited a security vulnerability in XP with an infected flash drive. Banks’ ATMs must be upgraded by April, 2014 or risk new attacks. Even the U.S. Department of Health uses it, and is negotiating with Microsoft for an extension beyond the April deadline. These upgrades will help Microsoft’s bottom line.

But consumers may still have a slow rate of adoption of Windows 8, considered a clumsy mash-up of desktop and tablet interfaces. If you do stick with XP, don’t expect any help from Microsoft if you have problems.

However, Windows 7 is still available. I decided to stick to what I know. Most of the time I like to stick to what I know, and learning to navigate the new OS 8 was too cumbersome.

Remember that look you got when you asked your teenager why she didn’t accept your friend request? It seems that she would rather move on than to share her friends and social life with you.

While  Facebook has over 1.2 billion users worldwide, it’s losing favor with teenagers (age 13-17)—by three million in the past three years. That’s a loss of 25.3 percent. Now, Instagram, Snapchat, FourSquare and many other sharing platforms are gaining users from the teen demographic as they abandon Facebook. Why?

Teens see Facebook as their parents’ platform. While they’re friends with their family, they want to do their sharing with friends in places that don’t include their parents. Instagram is owned by Facebook – a smart move. But the social media world is as fickle as the teens it courts. Marketing on social media requires an awareness of what is new, passé, and what demographic each one serves.

As Facebook loses teens, it has gained in the 55 and over demographic, an 80 percent increase. Savvy marketing will take this into account and can concentrate social media efforts into the one that best represents who they’re trying to reach.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that companies have geared up their marketing efforts on Facebook. I remember one person remarking that since she bought shoes from a certain retailer, she’s been courted on Facebook since.

That teens have found new places to socialize is not a bad thing. Now their parents can enjoy socializing, shopping and sharing without their kids around.

I remember my mother saying, “Planning at the beginning will save you stress and headache at the end.”

Thinking about my years in publications, we planned our issues at least four months in advance. We’re still early in the new year, so planning for your content marketing will yield high dividends as the year progresses.

First, make sure you include your events on your calendar. Are there seasonal events or sales you need to promote? Don’t just post once, plan key dates for several posts leading up to the event or sale. WordPress has an editorial calendar plugin that gives an overview of each relevant post which can help you create a content schedule. Google Docs has many editorial calendar templates that can be updated and shared by team members.