Before recently finally finding a way to get PS7 to work on later Windows, I had to keep using WinXP.
I used the browser and AV that still supports XP, and surfed all the time. Only used a card specifically set up for online buying, depositing just enough for that. Never breached, by the way.
Win XP, for basic stuff like PS7, working with music files, watching youtube vids, etc. is still the fastest thing out there. I used to try a lot of free and shareware, and would get conflicts, (and probably viruses sometimes). I could install XP on an SSD (way quicker than with any other OS), do a system image of a fully loaded XP in less than 2 minutes, and restore said image in less than 5. Try that on any other OS. When using a regular HDD, it's defragging, and updating was always much faster than later Windows versions too. My fully loaded nLite modded XPSP3 with Adobe, DCArt, Nero, astronomy imaging programs and camera/telescope control programs, etc. was about 10 Gigs! My Win 8.1 minimum (usable) install is at least 16 Gigs (before the tons of updates), 32 to 35 or so fully loaded with those same programs.
I like Win 7 and 8.1, and have now permanently switched to 8.1. But I still think WinXP is easier and faster for the things I do. If it would (reliably and practicably) handle more memory and was still being supported by hardware and software vendors, I would still be using it.