🚀 go-pugleaf

melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger) writes:
>Here's my computer upgrade path.

>C64 -> C128 -> VCR.

>Basically, I decided several years ago not to buy another computer
>until after college because they become obsolete so quickly.  It's
>pretty damn foolish to spend $5K on a machine that will be obsolete in
>24 months.  50 mips and Realtime Renderman is just going to make you
>wish you had 100 mips, which in 24 months will cost you an equal
>amount of money.

It is certainly true that computer technology is increasing at a tremendous
pace; the price/performance curve is continually moving.  "Logically"
speaking, this means that in order to get the "best" computer, you should
wait forever.  NOT!

Why do we continually need to upgrade, and why do we moan about obsolete
equipment?  There's a very good, very real reason people still run DOS and
use Fortran - it does the job they need it to do.  There is no incentive to
upgrade for them.

I used an Apple II for nearly 12 years until I got a Mac IIci.  Reason?
All I did was program (a little), write papers (a lot) and play games.
What did I need TCP/IP, ISDN, UNIX or 50 MIPS for?  This is the same
reason the builders of the Mac Classic left out ethernet; those
customers don't need it.  It is not a sin to buy a less capable platform
and do moderate tasks with it.

If the platform you have now does what you want it to do, then don't
upgrade.  There are people who continually need the best and fastest
equipment on the market, people for whom another MIP means more work
done in less time.  That does *not* describe most people, or even most
programmers; making a programmer more efficient or better will save you
a lot more than giving him/her a new machine.

This doesn't mean I won't be lusting for 3.0 :<)  Seriously, my point is
simply that you don't need the latest and best technology in a computer
before that computer can do useful things; not does that computer stop
doing useful things just because a newer, faster version came out.

-- 
Subrata Sircar | ssircar@canon.com | Prophet & SPAMIT Charter Member
Canon Information Systems and I do not speak for each other on all things.
"I wish people wouldn't instantly assume that I am an idiot." (Valentine)
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