Post by Ken BlakeOn Thu, 27 Jul 2023 18:36:24 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver"
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Post by Ken BlakeAnd many other things that neither I nor anyone else has thought of
yet.
Technology changes all the time. As new technology becomes available,
our desires, along with our needs, changes.
Indeed.
_Could_ be that I can envisage running two machines: one old and
familiar, one new _just_ to run some new hardware - or _possibly_ new
software; with gradual moving over of stuff as I get used to the new. I
think I've considered doing this in the past - there have certainly been
times when I was running two machines (e. g. '98SElite and XP), but I
think the transition period was mostly quite short. I genuinely can't
remember now.
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Post by Ken BlakeIf your old version of some program is new longer supported, you may
well need a newer version.
As a couple of examples of what I mean, I use Quicken. Several
(important to me) features always stop working in older versions. So I
need to frequently change to a newer version.
I'm intrigued by "stop working". Is this rentalware like Office 365? Or
by "stop working", do you mean "won't work on a newer OS"?
Post by Ken BlakeI no long do it, but I used to use Turbo Tax. That *always* requires
the latest version.
.
I am aware that many (is it most? nearly all?) US citizens have to do
annual tax returns, and that seems to be a significant driver in the
need to buy new software, and thus new hardware. The majority of UK
_employees_ never do a tax return (the self-employed or small businesses
of course do have to).
Post by Ken BlakePost by J. P. GilliverPost by Ken Blake2. If I eventually upgrade to a newer version, but skip a version of
two. the changes from what I'm used to are likely to be significantly
bigger and take longer to learn and adapt to.
It pays to remain _aware_ of the later versions. Whether you allocate a
significant amount of time to this, or just accept you'll have a big
lump of effort if/when you change, is a matter for personal choice ...
OK, but being aware of it and having experience using it are two
completely different things, as far as I'm concerned.
It may also be affected by employment. When I was employed, my employer
(a large technology firm) used _mostly_ the second-latest version of
Windows, so I had to be familiar with that; when until about a year ago
I was in the lowest (unpaid) tier of local government here (called
parish council, though has nothing to do with the church), I was issued
with a Windows 10/Outlook/Office 365 laptop, which I used, so was
familiar with the quirks of those.
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Post by Ken BlakePost by J. P. Gilliver8 was (initially) horrible.
We completely agree on that. But many other people don't and liked it.
It got a little better with 8.1, but I still hated it.
I think even the original 8 _had_ a conventional desktop, it's just that
it didn't appear by default.
Post by Ken BlakePost by J. P. GilliverProbably fine for new users; most existing
users stayed with their XP at that point, with a few staying at 7.
Most? I have no statistics, but I doubt it. Certainly some, but I
don't think it was most.
Well, most users aren't like us here, and just take what they're given -
and almost never upgrade their OS, they just buy a new computer. (Though
this is beginning to change with the 7/8 to 10 and 10 to 11 changes
being automated unless you opted out - but only if the hardware was
suited.)
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Post by Ken BlakePost by J. P. GilliverWell, for unusual reasons, I had to get a computer earlier this year. I
didn't have a _great_ deal of trouble finding a 7-32 machine (and I'm
still actually enjoying using it: it's responsive, and better in some
respects than my previous 7-32 machine).
Wait a few more years. If your new machine dies, you'll have much more
trouble finding one.
True. I might consider getting one and storing it. But more likely,
would indeed just move on. (With consideration of VMs.)
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Post by Ken BlakePost by J. P. Gilliver(Do you change your car every 3
years or less, too? [That's a viable approach, just not the one I
follow.])
I don't follow it either. But If I were much richer than I am, I'd
probably do it every year or two. I'd do the same with my computer, so
Going to be shaken up here with the change to electric vehicles; I see
no way they're going to have the infrastructure in place, and I know
(partly due to the greater distances, but only partly that) that the USA
is nowhere near ready. The dates here are still - no _new_ petrol/diesel
only cars after 2030, no _new_ hybrids after 2035. I can see the
second-hand market - and that for new p/d-only ones just before the
cutoff dates - going crazy.
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Post by Ken BlakeYour views and mine on this subject are clearly very different. That's
fine. I'm not trying to convince you of anything--just pointing out
why I have the views I do.
We're probably not as different as it may seem. I think mine is just a
resentment of the decision being made by others, rather than me. And in
perfectly-well-working kit being made obsolete by changes that _don't_
benefit me.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)***@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
I admire you British: when things get tough, you reach for humour. Not
firearms. - Sigourney (Susan) Weaver, RT 2017/11/4-10