No need to upgrade your PCs anymore

[RCBH928]

1)Electronics die. hard-disk or processor dies or whatever happens to it. It makes no sense to go out and buy a '98 mother-board, you might as well buy a new PC. Not all will die but I will be surprised if more than 10% are still surviving .

Compatible hardware for '98 era computers is still very plentiful. It's not at all hard to find an IDE hard drive for example.

You severely underestimate the lifespan of computer components. Why do you believe that a motherboard and various components from a computer from around 1998 is likely to be already dead, but have no problem believing that the motherboard and various components in a Super Nintendo from even earlier is still working no problem?

There are tons of Commodore Vic20s and Atari 400 computers from the 80s that still work just fine. Heck I'd even wager that the majority of them still work today.

tbh, from my experience a lot of the electronics I have seen in my life either:
1)Die
2)Won't function as it used to(software or hardware I dont know)
3)Will need a part to be replaced.(which by that time,better buy new device)

Especially PCs they tend to generate much more heat that a SNES(needs a fan) , and that is not so good for the components on the long run.

Also, back in the 80's they used to build stuff to last. Now manufacturers tend to build flimsy products, so you would buy replacement parts or another device on purpose

This is what I think planned obsolescence is, they make certain hardware or software not work with your older stuff forcing you to upgrade. Even uTorrent which is famous for like being very light and low on resources wont run on something earlier than WinXp(as their site says)

I think you're confusing "planned obsolescence" with just "obsolescence".

haha I know what you mean, I was trying to say that software developers if they wished to support older hard ware, then your '98 computer can survive a very very long time, maybe a lifetime.

But hardware is what worries me most.

@BoneSnapDeez

How do you maintain a Genesis? I know you can handle it well, but its not like you can grease it or do a software update. Unless you mean dust cleaning. But by forever I meant about 40 years. Do not think this is a huge number as the NES is 30 years already!

[AppleQueso]

You said before that you didn't know anything about electrical stuff.

...yeah that's kinda obvious here. Just sayin'

In my experience, most hardware doesn't "die". Most "dead" hardware is only in need of fairly minor repair.

[MrPopo]

Also, back in the 80's they used to build stuff to last. Now manufacturers tend to build flimsy products, so you would buy replacement parts or another device on purpose

Mmmm... it's less that and more that they cut corners because they know people will replace things in several years time regardless of the build quality, as long as it lasts until then. People are on a 3-5 year upgrade cycle with technology because of how much better spec-wise the new stuff is, not because the old stuff breaks.

[Ivo]

Mmmm... it's less that and more that they cut corners because they know people will replace things in several years time regardless of the build quality, as long as it lasts until then. People are on a 3-5 year upgrade cycle with technology because of how much better spec-wise the new stuff is, not because the old stuff breaks.

I agree it isn't just a huge conspiracy to drive consumerism, but a part of it is. While most people would upgrade some stuff anyway, they are still pushed (in some cases more gently than others) to get new stuff because the build quality is low and stuff degrades or breaks down. There is plenty of stuff which does not really become technologically obsolete like Computers and still get a short duration upgrade cycle due to that.

But on the other hand, if you adjust prices for inflation, the stuff we get today is considerably cheaper than the old "built to last" ones. Many of this stuff used to be available only to the mid to upper class only (actually that applies to computers as well). With the lower prices these are now reasonably accessible to the "masses" (at least in more developed countries), and part of what allows those lower prices has to be that the stuff isn't built to last ages. Presumably if you pay the equivalent someone 50 years ago paid for a "built to last" machine you may be able to get something industrial grade that will also last you

Ivo.

[RCBH928]

You said before that you didn't know anything about electrical stuff.

...yeah that's kinda obvious here. Just sayin'

In my experience, most hardware doesn't "die". Most "dead" hardware is only in need of fairly minor repair.

Well, you are right, and if an electronic does not work for the average guy then its "dead" in his eyes. They also "die" in their later years , like a computer after 7-10 years. By that time the average joe will think "It served me good, but it finally died. I might as well buy a new machine now" They will not be thinking "Oh, something tiny stopped working I better open it and see what went wrong" . They might do this in the first 1-3 years of ownership because its just too early to die.

For an electrician it might be a different story, but most people do not know how to fix electronics. btw, a guy I know said that his iphone 4s stopped working. He tried everything it just won't start again so he bought iphone 5. its these kinds of things that worry me.

@Mr.Popo

I think on PCs that cycle is going to get extended now because computers are just so much powerful. Its very hard to see what more do you need(unless you are into gaming and Multimedia production) . But it shifted to phones and tablets. I cant believe that Apple actually increased the speed of upgrading, we are literally paying for iphones the price we used to pay for laptops except we upgrade it yearly instead of every 3-4 years. Thats the smartest thing I have ever seen, and people go no problem with that! My $350 Nokias used to last me 4 years.
Well maybe laptops are a bit more expensive but you do get the idea.

@Ivo

its very true what you say about price going down, and things in the old days were more expensive but lasted longer, I should have put that in mind.

Well, I guess its better than the 90's where a laptop would cost you like $3000 and in 2 years it will be outdated

I personally think we are in the timeline where mobile devices are like PC in the early 90's expensive but outdated on yearly basis. As I said some games already do not run on the original iPad 2.5 years ago. Thats like '93 game not working on '91 hardware.

[AppleQueso]

You said before that you didn't know anything about electrical stuff.

...yeah that's kinda obvious here. Just sayin'

In my experience, most hardware doesn't "die". Most "dead" hardware is only in need of fairly minor repair.

Well, you are right, and if an electronic does not work for the average guy then its "dead" in his eyes. They also "die" in their later years , like a computer after 7-10 years. By that time the average joe will think "It served me good, but it finally died. I might as well buy a new machine now" They will not be thinking "Oh, something tiny stopped working I better open it and see what went wrong" . They might do this in the first 1-3 years of ownership because its just too early to die.

For an electrician it might be a different story, but most people do not know how to fix electronics. btw, a guy I know said that his iphone 4s stopped working. He tried everything it just won't start again so he bought iphone 5. its these kinds of things that worry me.

I'm no electrician, i'm a hobbyist with an awful lot to learn.

I'm not sure what you're worrying about. People would rather replace things than fix them? The problem is with the consumers, then, not the hardware.

[RCBH928]

Yes, I think people would rather replace their 2003 computer with a brand new one that can play HD on par with ps3 games than fix it if it stops working.