Why I'm Not Upgrading (Software and Hardware)

[Noir Angel]

I love my SSD. For me it's not about boot up speed, there's only about 30% in it over my old mechanical drive, but it does improve system responsiveness substantially. Programs start instantly, and updates (even .net framework updates) install extremely quickly. Having owned one for more than a year I intend never to boot from a mechanical hard drive again.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

The thing with technology advancement is that it has made us compulsive upgraders (ergo compulsive consumers). But we need to ask the question: In what way these home computer advancements have made our life really better than 10 year old technology? We could argue that new software's features are necessary and make our work easier, but actually it makes us lazier. New software only make us to buy new hardware. Yeah, some things like SSD and USB3 are really practical, but it's not like computing it's impossible without them.

For the past five years I've been an advocate of frugal computing. This is quite tricky because it needs a compromise. It requires to avoid the urge to always have the latest and greatest versions of your software installed. I'm not saying that we don't need updated software, of course we need patches and maintenance releases (point releases) I'm talking about new versions, with more bells and whistles... and bigger hardware requirements. A new version does not render our old version obsolete. Not at all.

The same works with hardware, because of a logical principle: If you keep using your trusting software tools without upgrading them compulsively then there's no need to keep upgrading your hardware. It will work as good as new really if you take good care of it. (The most problematic hardware component could be mechanical HDDs. Of course these should be replaced).

One of my best friends kept using his Pentium III (550mhz) machine for ELEVEN years. Also I know a publishing company that has its entire editorial production workflow based on old Apple machines running System 9. Another friend run an entire music studio using an Amiga 3000, a custom made Windows 95 machine and an ATARI MEGA STE!!!!

Tell me, why these people should upgrade? They have mastered their tools. They have chosen the workflow that fits the best for them. They have avoided the consumerist game of compulsive upgrading.

Games? I can play thousands of great games with a 10 year old machine! Graphics don't make the game.

My machines usually last at least four years but I still have a lot to learn about these people. Currently I have an iMac 27". I'm planning to use this machine as my main tool for at least seven years.

Well said that man....

My desktop is over 5 years old with the drives 7200RPM 500GBx2 replaced with SSDs and the 2x20" monitors replaces with 1x27"... still runs like beast and as much as I'd like to build a new one, it's just wholly unjustifiable.

I have upgraded the OS - it came with Vista, had 7 and now has 8 on it. Otherwise I have Office 2007, Visio 2007 and Adobe CS3 Web Premium - all still doing their job and working fine.

I am not tight, but don't see the point on spending money unless I actually need to.

To the OP - if you are happy with your computer, don't upgrade it. Save your cash until you actually want to upgrade and your machine is not performing well enough.

[Dashel]

Well, if you don't do anything new, sure - don't upgrade till something breaks! To say that Moore's law suddenly stopped or that there aren't new and exciting technologies is silly. Sure, we've hit some stagnation, but it has been our usage habits, not the hardware.

Additionally, since conventional HDD prices spiked, in many cases SSD's are also the cheaper option so for many it should be a no brainer. The HDD is the biggest bottleneck in most systems so that is where you attack performance, not some rainbow and unicorn Mac fantasy land where just adding more memory is a panacea.