Computers are a capitalists dream, with their Software/hardware updates an what not.
Don't get me started about mobile phones. Can we print them off yet?
Planned Obsolescence
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I've gone through a few decades of being a 'computer enthusiast' and have poured tens of thousands into computer parts and peripherals, none of which are really still usable sans a few for specific functions. One of the joys in computing is the need to continually learn something new, thought I also gain the same joy from electronic musical instruments.Spheric El wrote:Computers are a capitalists dream, with their Software/hardware updates an what not.
Don't get me started about mobile phones. Can we print them off yet?
Never had the pleasure of owning an Atari ST (or any Atari excluding the Computer Video System) and am still jealous of those who owned them, but that is a rare case in which one of it's specialities is still a great tool for use with other devices. Another computer I still wish I could own is the Amiga 2000 simply for it's unique music creation tools.
Now days I'm done with it all. While the initial excitement of the 'smart phone' did spark curiosity, the six month life-span of any latest-greatest model, their obsolescence within two year thanks to locked consumer OS's purposely ensuring a need to upgrade, combined with there being no option to build my own from part killed that any interest in "rooting" my phone and learning how to tinker with them in an unlocked state. In the 80's it felt like a similar situation with home computers, but not nearly as deviously engineered and more due to advances in chip development at the time. Incremental improvements in mobile cpu's seems only to deliver higher temperature pocket warmer with high resolution happy-snap cameras attached and not much more....
All that said, I have finally found a reason to personally own a 3D printer: https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=eu ... b969f4da68, with this being the first thing I have my (still incredible enthusiastic about computing) brother print for me: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3039287. And if I actually stop spending my disposable income on modules (what I have replaced my monthly spending on computer parts with), I'll make the initial outlay for a decent home 3D printer and once again have a use for a powerful desktop PC (well more powerful than this one
)Stuff I'm using: Umm right now, well there's a Volca Drum, a Micro Freak, an ADX-1, a Pulse, a Blofeld, a UNO Drum, KeyStep/Beatstep Pro/Keystep Pro (one of each), a Circuit, a LiveTrak L-12 and this nonsense: The Brief-case as it was about a bit over a year ago (the the complete ridiculous GAS monster collection here)and here
They have the control over all the hardware with the software updates. Couple that with the fact that less and less big software updates are optional, and you pretty much write off the ownership of your hardware.Spheric El wrote:Computers are a capitalists dream, with their probiotics for IBS and Software/hardware updates an what not.
Don't get me started about mobile phones. Can we print them off yet?