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Q: How often should I upgrade my computer?
A: There are two parts to this question. First, lets address hardware.
In the early days of PCs it was reasonable to expect that upgrades and component by component replacement of a computer would extend its life for upwards of ten years. Times have changed and the new philosophy of replacing systems every other year brought about by two major factors: First, computers are being improved at a rate that makes use of older, and thus slower, PCs impractical. Second, the price of entry level computers, and in particular of entry level laptops has dropped enough to make repair, replacement, and upgrading of old systems financially impractical. This is accentuated by the short life span that can be expected out of most computer hardware. To say they don't make them like they used to would be an understatement. Passing a computer down from one generation to the next, as one could tools, a home, or even a classic car, is unheard of. This makes the age of your system critical particularly when it comes to its reliability.
Second, let's discuss software.
Software is in many ways the polar opposite of hardware. The trends in software have been towards increasing the graphical content, adding additional options, features, and complexity. This all results in a net reduction in its reliability and performance. The competing factor is compatibility. As markets shift from old to new software some software distributors ignore legacy users. There are three compelling reasons that motivate this. First, errors incorporated into earlier designs sometimes require additional work to both fix, and maintain compatibility, second, supporting multiple versions of software adds cost and complexity, and finally profits from new software sales generally exceed those of maintaining old products.
With these two competing factors the best way to judge when it's the right time to upgrade is based on two things: First, can you effectively communicate without version incompatibilities, and second are you able to get the support you need to resolve problems. So long as these two issues are under control you're better off not fixing it until it's broken.
Need help? Contact us any time.
Our technical staff is available to assist you with all your hardware and software needs.
Tips and suggestions provided to you by Computer And Network Support, LLC
Last updated: 2/6/2012
Web page unique ID: 889100
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