Glad PC's are a dieing breed

SparkDr wrote:

mlts22 wrote:
...and the people who actually judge you by your expensive watch will respect you more if you sport an Omega or a Tag Heuer

Nice to stumble across a mention of designer watches on an RV forum. As a bit of a watch snob and junkie (owning everything from a cheap Timex indigo up to an inherited vintage Rolex and assorted other pieces in between), I've wanted a Tag for more than a decade now and found the watch of my dreams about 5 years ago. At the time, I just couldn't justify spending upwards of $5k for it. Now that I've got enough discretionary scratch in my pocket for such frivolous purposes, I've learned that the watch has been discontinued for more than 3 years now. Someday, I will find one and own it. As for the iwatch crowd, I can't help but see them as the ultimate "pretenders" when I see these things being worn as fashion pieces at weddings, funerals, restaurants and other "dress" occasions. I agree with the above quorte...if you're looking for respect in the watch world, strap on a modest Seiko when out the town and leave the iwatch at home.

What I find amusing about the people I see with the iWatch is that they show it off with a smug attitude, along the lines of "gee, what time is it... time to show it on my iWatch". I have never seen someone first-hand with a true top brand watch do that action... if they are wealthy enough to afford a Patek Phillipe, they are not going to be flashing it.

Other than a novelty item, or maybe something to use for monitoring vital signs when exercising, I just don't see the point of a smartwatch. If I wanted something to tell time, a $200 self-winding Bulova will be ticking long after the batteries have stopped being usable in the smartwatches.

As for desktops and laptops, I also agree there. Laptops wind up being replaced due to physical damage, but desktops can last indefinitely, especially if someone isn't doing that much stuff on them.

However, until PC makers decide to start doing cool stuff like built in OS virtualization, I can't really complain about the cheap prices for a desktop machine. I remember when you would pay thousands for a decent computer, and there was no way around that fact. Now, you can get someone's cast off laptop, add RAM and a SSD for speed, and have a decent computer for a few C-notes at most.

strollin wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
I'm still running my 2011 MacBook Pro 13 inch., its just as fantastic as the day I brought it home. ...

Seriously? You think a 4 year old computer is old or something? To me, a 4 year old computer is just getting broken in. I regularly keep my computers 7-8 years before I replace them. They are still fully operational but when they get that old I replace them because I want something newer/faster. In the 31 years I've been owning computers, I've never had one (out of dozens I've had) fail and need to be replaced. I've had the occasional hard drive or power supply die and need to be replaced but never the computer itself.

Yep....it's ancient (by computer standards) and its in perfect condition. No reason it won't last your 7-8 year non-benchmark.

My point was, it's old....regardless of the fact that you have older computers...it's old. But it's not obsolete and in the spirit of the OP....I keep using it.

I have my PC Tower from 2002-2004 (can't remember)...it still runs well, but it can't do much anymore...very very slow.

I have had three laptops break. The hard drives and the screens are fine....motherboards are too... it's the plastic cases, hinges, or the power supplies that break over time.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

jerem0621 wrote:
I'm still running my 2011 MacBook Pro 13 inch., its just as fantastic as the day I brought it home. ...

Seriously? You think a 4 year old computer is old or something? To me, a 4 year old computer is just getting broken in. I regularly keep my computers 7-8 years before I replace them. They are still fully operational but when they get that old I replace them because I want something newer/faster. In the 31 years I've been owning computers, I've never had one (out of dozens I've had) fail and need to be replaced. I've had the occasional hard drive or power supply die and need to be replaced but never the computer itself.

mlts22 wrote:
...and the people who actually judge you by your expensive watch will respect you more if you sport an Omega or a Tag Heuer

Nice to stumble across a mention of designer watches on an RV forum. As a bit of a watch snob and junkie (owning everything from a cheap Timex indigo up to an inherited vintage Rolex and assorted other pieces in between), I've wanted a Tag for more than a decade now and found the watch of my dreams about 5 years ago. At the time, I just couldn't justify spending upwards of $5k for it. Now that I've got enough discretionary scratch in my pocket for such frivolous purposes, I've learned that the watch has been discontinued for more than 3 years now. Someday, I will find one and own it. As for the iwatch crowd, I can't help but see them as the ultimate "pretenders" when I see these things being worn as fashion pieces at weddings, funerals, restaurants and other "dress" occasions. I agree with the above quorte...if you're looking for respect in the watch world, strap on a modest Seiko when out the town and leave the iwatch at home.

I'm still running my 2011 MacBook Pro 13 inch., its just as fantastic as the day I brought it home.

When I am on the road I run Windows 7 on my iPad and can do whatever I need or want for work. It's really neat, virtual desktops are the future, at least for business.

The same technology that let's me run Windows 7 on my tablet also let's me run full Windows 7 from my Mac. What I often do is set it up as a desktop... with two external monitors, wireless keyboard, wireless mouse... then I set up my ipad on Air display and have four working monitors... fire up the old Win 7 virtual desktop for work and bam.., I have 4 monitors for when I work from home.

I do agree with the above statements. When I want to consume media I grab one of my tablets (also have an android Tablet) when it's time to create content I grab the Mac.

My Mac has outlasted two PC Laptops and is stillooking running strong.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

I've read that the tablet market is hitting a saturation point, where new tablets tend to be replacements for ones that wind up broken, stolen, or just so old that they can't run modern apps. The "good enough" plague which has caused PC sales to stagnate has hit tablets as well.

Smartphones are Apple's big profit center, but I've read that there are concerns of that market stagnating as well. Samsung bet a lot on that market, and they are not doing that well, from what I've read. However, smartphones do have the advantage of being a device virtually everyone needs since they can do so much. So, smartphones will always find a new market because they offer basic computing ability.

There is also tech fatigue as well. The Apple Watch was supposed to be a killer app... but I remember only two people ever having them, and they bought them just because they thought it was stylish. However, people don't want yet another device to charge and maintain, and the people who actually judge you by your expensive watch will respect you more if you sport an Omega or a Tag Heuer.

As for the humble PC, it isn't going anywhere. Just because PCs offer the ability to have a usable workflow (have Excel running, alt-tab to the web browser to grab some figures, paste them in, alt-tab and check for a message, etc.) No iOS or Android tablet can quickly and effectively do that as of now, even with the split-screen functionality. Of course, there are many people's whose needs will be met by a tablet... but desktops and laptops will still have their place.

Of course, there is one reason I like PCs. I can have what OS I want... but I can virtualize them. For example, my current desktop is a Mac that I run a Windows VM in for Web browsing (so malware infects the Windows VM which gets rolled back every week or so, and doesn't nuke my main computer.) No iOS or Android tablet is ever going to offer that functionality. I dislike any platform where I can't pop up a UNIX command prompt or a PowerShell prompt.

Chris Bryant wrote:
I do not consider any tablet or phone I cannot install my own operating system on to be a PC- yeah, it might be a Computer, but there's nothing Personal about it.
Fun and somewhat useful tools, but they are generally used for consuming, not creating.

Its this mentality that get's me on my rants. Perfect case in point!

Oooooooooo I just LOVE "Dick Tracy Wristwatch" technology. Recharging everything after an hour is soooooooo much fun.

Vanessa bought a 17" premium line laptop for in excess of a thousand dollars. It manages to go a WHOLE HOUR AND FIFTY MINUTES off of it's battery. Tablets and cell phone internet is worse. My Samsung Galaxy 2 goes a staggering 55 minutes on it's battery.

So running around with a neato credit card thin, whizzbang gizmo with a USB power umbilical attached is the hot setup? Even my new NOOK GLOWLIGHT is only good for 6-hours when using the light. About 30 hours without the light.

The most ultimate notebook on the face of the earth is a joke compared to the power and storage of a PC that costs one fifth as much.

It helps to keep things in perspective.

Remember my story about the (year 1983) excited chatter of a friend who declared with amazement "I can dial a telephone number with my keyboard". It took him around 40 seconds. This is toy-grade amusement, not serious work. Neat! My 400 dollar Galaxy telephone that I have to fire up, talk to my doctor's office then shut it down if I should need to start it back up later that afternoon. I asked about the color NOOK when I bought the Glow Light. "Oh they are the neatest THANG (Alabama). But they have to be recharged after a couple of hours. 500 recharges max battery life. This is double-digit IQ consumerism.

Just a nit but you said you are glad PCs are a dying bread.. Laptops such as you and I have are PCs (Your choice of Personal Computer or Poor computer) what they are not is Desktops or Towers, mini or otherwise. There are advantages to both formats and neither is dying. But many folks, when UPGRADING do not realize that the monitor and KB and Mouse still work with the new Central Unit.

camperforlife wrote:
Gee, all the carping about the idiosyncrasies of aging technology yet no one pointed out the proper term is dying not dieing. Sorry, but I do feel better now.:B

Me too. It's also 'lo and behold'