The power of the weakness

[tanito0]

Hello! My name is Tanito0 and I have an HP Pavilion that still has Windows XP. Since I got a job a few months ago, I have gathered enough money to buy a new pc, with decent 2014 devices. Last month I was ready to do so, but in the last moment, there was something that stopped me. I realized that I had never used the potential tools that my beautiful computer could give me. In fact, I started to think about how little value we give to the things we already possess, and how little we know of the beautiful creating possibilities that a PC offers us. I mean, a hundred years ago, people had to write a paper and send it to a post office that would take several days to deliver a message to another person in a different country. Nowadays, we have a billion tools able thanks to the internet, but it seems that we are not ready to enjoy it properly. My computer has five or six years of use, but for these days it may seem already old because it cannot run Battlefield 4. Like the song says, "where are we running"? Where THE HELL are we running? 

Needed to share this!
Tanito0

[kaput]

Howdy, Tanito0. Firstly, pass the doobie. Secondly, I also have an HP Pavilion. We are 'should be buddies'. Now pass that doobie. Whilst a majority of latest gadgets are better, we shouldn't doubt our little rust bugs. Keep a hold of 'em, because planned obsoletion is coming harder and faster. I for one approve this message.

[Cassiebsg]

Most people upgrade their computers to follow up with a particular game that requires you to have the state of the art... other wise most ppl don't really need super fast computers. mMst pll just use them to surf the net, read email/forum and maybe play Solitaire/Freecell/Tetris... maybe they write a few texts with wWord, but that's about it.

A few years ago (3 or 4) I replaced my old one (that was about 4-5 years old) with a little sleek power efficient eeee-PC. I've been pretty happy with it, even though it was actually a down grade in relation to my old one (that was a lot more powerful, but less energy efficient). And for the last 4 years, I haven't done much more than "most" ppl do.-.. surf the net, read email and play solitaire...

However, today, I just realized that if I'm going to continue dabbling into making 3D models and renderings, that I may actually need my old computer - or an updated and even more powerful version of it... I just can't stand the slow processing, the lagging mouse pointer, and hours of rendering (for a single image, just to check and adjust materials and lighting)...

[Babar]

The problem is, even if you just do simple stuff like browsing and watching movies and such, most of that software is constantly updating, and you soon find your computer running slower doing the simplest things.

You could hold out on updating, but eventually the software you are using comes up with a new major feature (and most content makes use of it), or a security fix, then you have to.

[Janos Biro]

"In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed" - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I recently updated my computer to be able to play some recent games I always wanted to play, and never could. I think the question here is why we need to update faster and faster. It is not just because things get better faster and faster, but because corporations need to sell parts faster and faster to get more and more profit. We are now concentrated in throwing things away to make room for new things, because stopping doing that could lead to an economic disaster.

[Gribbler]

For graphics heavy games like BF4 I use a console and don't have to worry about specs, RAM, CPU, GPU or anything. Every game runs super smooth. And for everything else, office stuff and less demanding games such as adventures I use my now 7 year old laptop. Perfect solution.

[miguel]

Yeah, I rather play fast-paced games on the console and use my 7 year laptop for AGS and retro gaming. But I'm getting to the point that I can't even play new adventure games on it, so next Xmas I'm thinking about offering myself a new PC. Or a PS4...Decisions...

[Ghost]

I recently updated my computer to be able to play some recent games I always wanted to play, and never could.

Wow. But what about all those slave kids in the mines, man, digging the copper for that machine!
With their tiny tiny hands!

[DoorKnobHandle]

I recently updated my computer to be able to play some recent games I always wanted to play, and never could.

Wow. But what about all those slave kids in the mines, man, digging the copper for that machine!
With their tiny tiny hands!

I love you Ghost!

[Janos Biro]

I recently updated my computer to be able to play some recent games I always wanted to play, and never could.

Wow. But what about all those slave kids in the mines, man, digging the copper for that machine!
With their tiny tiny hands!

You are making fun of something very serious.

[tanito0]

Howdy, Tanito0. Firstly, pass the doobie. Secondly, I also have an HP Pavilion. We are 'should be buddies'. Now pass that doobie. Whilst a majority of latest gadgets are better, we shouldn't doubt our little rust bugs. Keep a hold of 'em, because planned obsoletion is coming harder and faster. I for one approve this message.

:-DChewbie doobie for you man! Getting by in life without video card 

[miguel]

I recently updated my computer to be able to play some recent games I always wanted to play, and never could.

Wow. But what about all those slave kids in the mines, man, digging the copper for that machine!
With their tiny tiny hands!

I love you Ghost!

You have to admit it, Janos: you were just asking for it. It sounds like all you did on those topics was to defend therories that you clearly don't follow.

[bicilotti]

Great topic, tanito0!
Great joke, Ghost!

The problem is, even if you just do simple stuff like browsing and watching movies and such, most of that software is constantly updating, and you soon find your computer running slower doing the simplest things.

You could hold out on updating, but eventually the software you are using comes up with a new major feature (and most content makes use of it), or a security fix, then you have to.

There is an OS which is remarkably stable (albeit with somewhat dated software selection), frugal in resource usage, which updates programs only for security reasons and doesn't force shiny new features down your throat! And it's gratis, too!

I promise I will stop being an obnoxious evangelist.
(for this month only)
fingers crossed

[CaptainD]

I've been using an old, under-powered for ages.  I've also wanted to replace it for ages but haven't had the money.  Still, it's good in one way - I figure that if the games I'm developing run fine on my PC, they'll run fine on pretty much anything!  

[Babar]

There is an OS which is remarkably stable (albeit with somewhat dated software selection), frugal in resource usage, which updates programs only for security reasons and doesn't force shiny new features down your throat! And it's gratis, too!

I promise I will stop being an obnoxious evangelist.
(for this month only)
fingers crossed

I already use xubuntu, you filthy italian. Except when I want to play games. Which I admit is more often than I want to mess around in xubuntu .

[Janos Biro]

I recently updated my computer to be able to play some recent games I always wanted to play, and never could.

Wow. But what about all those slave kids in the mines, man, digging the copper for that machine!
With their tiny tiny hands!

I love you Ghost!

You have to admit it, Janos: you were just asking for it. It sounds like all you did on those topics was to defend therories that you clearly don't follow.

Absolutely not! I never advocated boycotting practices as the solution to anything. If you think that you have to stop consuming to be able to criticize something like that, the joke is on you! No amount of boycott could ever change society, because boycott is a consumer right, very different from a political change. See Why personal change does not equal political change

[Slasher]

Hi

I'm using a computer that was developed in the 'Ark' and made by Noah.....

This means that I can't do somethings because it won't take the latest software to run it.

But at £40 from a bootfair what can you expect

This is course means I will need to purchase an up to date computer to be able to run the latest software.

At the end of the day a rusty old morris minor may run ok and get you from A to B but it would make for a smoother, faster ride if you had a BMW....

Software and technology determine computer needs.

Playstation, Cube etc for games is good, if you can afford it, else you battle along with what you have.

Unless of course you win the lottery

If you can upgrade do so, you'll have to in the end anyway.

[miguel]

Absolutely not! I never advocated boycotting practices as the solution to anything. If you think that you have to stop consuming to be able to criticize something like that, the joke is on you! No amount of boycott could ever change society, because boycott is a consumer right, very different from a political change. See Why personal change does not equal political change

Just theory, again. You are not coherent with the ideas you defend. If I am totally against CO2 emissions and preach about it on the internet is it okay if I buy a muscle-car from the 70's? I can do it, but to some (if not all) I'll just be and sound like a fake.

[Janos Biro]

Absolutely not! I never advocated boycotting practices as the solution to anything. If you think that you have to stop consuming to be able to criticize something like that, the joke is on you! No amount of boycott could ever change society, because boycott is a consumer right, very different from a political change. See Why personal change does not equal political change

Just theory, again. You are not coherent with the ideas you defend. If I am totally against CO2 emissions and preach about it on the internet is it okay if I buy a muscle-car from the 70's? I can do it, but to some (if not all) I'll just be and sound like a fake.

I find amazing that you still insist on this idea. Look, I would be incoherent if the theory was limited to an individual consumer choice. Some (if not all) people who would find it fake to criticize CO2 emissions and buy such a car simply didn't understood where the CO2 emissions come from. They naively believe it comes from people buying inefficient cars. Bullshit, only a small fraction of CO2 emissions comes from that. Besides, you can't possible compare the act of buying a better computer with buying a "muscle-car from the 70's". Consoles are much worse. I used old computers for all my life. This one not such a luxury, it is just enough so I can play L.A. Noire. So stop trying to find excuses to attack me. You don't really care about the problem I pointed out back there. It simply bothers you because you don't want to admit you were wrong.

[miguel]

So, if a person doesn't understand consumer theories, CO2 emission causes, gaming industry evil plots and the difference from buying an old car and a new computer then he comes to Janos to know the truth. Got it.

My opinion is that my opinion is worth shit, I may be able to influence the people that depend and live with me and that's about it. My opinion is that if I really wanted to educate or tell the truth to a certain group of people then I'd better live and act according to what I want them to believe.
But because I don't, I just do my best to cope with life around me, part of it is trying not to impose my belief on others.
That takes a while to learn but hopefully you'll get there, because, like I said before and with no sarcasm - you are an interesting and obviously intelligent person and a good asset to the community.