Windows 7: The PC: "I'm Not Dead Yet!"

Hi there
perhaps you've seen the movie Source Code. Quite an interesting concept BTW.

Source Code (2011) - IMDb

cheers
jimbo

I am using desktop in my office, for serious work like heavy typing, long reports on word and excel and engg. Drawings on Autocad. Here nothing beats the full keyboard and an optical wireless mouse and 22 in LCD monitor. Added to this setup, one HP scanner, one color laserjet and one black on white laserjet. I can't produce anything worthwhile without this gear.

At home my 17 in Toshiba i5 laptop almost covers the homework from office minus the extra peripherals.

The recent addition being an android based Asus transformer TF300T. Sometimes I use it in loo for catching upon daily news (I was using my iPhone before). Don't worry! I keep it very hygienic with regular cleaning.

I also use it as a bedside companion for browsing, emailing, skyping and news reading and occasional gaming. This keeps me company during my sleepless nights.

The conclusion is that all the three devices have been serving me in different places and circumstances. I can not swap them from present locations. I can't take my desktop to my bed nor my tablet replace the workhorse at my office. I need all the three of them (not talking about my smart phone).

Whatever new smaller devices appear in market, they have their own niche and can not replace the PC's and laptops.

My custom built overclocked desktop PC with 22" screen and a "real" graphics card isn't going anywhere!.

Hi there
But surely that device is actually a PC isn't it.

cheers
jimbo

In my remaining lifetime, yes (I'm 63). I can see optical drives becoming obsolete in my remaining lifetime (I've seen punchcards, 8", 5.25", and 3.5" become obsolete already) and storage into the terabytes being crammed into a format that will fit in a handheld device. Keyboards could be replaced with voice recognition. There would be a serious learning curve on how to use voice recognition sophisticated enough to replace a keyboard; I doubt I would be willing to endure that by then.

However, I don't see how the screen of a handheld device could ever replace a full size monitor. I can just see someone doing music engraving, including final page layout on a 10" screen. Or 3D Cad. Or desktop publishing. Or running several applications at once that people now run in side by side windows on large screens (something I frequently do) and/or on multiple monitors (I wish I had room for a second monitor so I could run one in portrait). Sure, in theory, one could run external monitors off a tablet, even wirelessly, but I won't live long enough to see that. 'Til then, I will stick with a PC.

And, until tablets can match the battery life of an e-book reader and still fit in my purse, I'll stick to my little JetBook Lite (which runs on AAs easily changed in the field; how many tablets can do that?).

I am shuddering at the thought of a Cerebral Interface coupled with buggy software. Yikes!

I remember the days when I had a sole 21" monitor. Seems a lifetime ago. I'm running 3 x 27" now, running typically 10 applications at a time. My kids have been running dual monitors for the last 4 years too.

None of us here could function normally without all the technology we have.. Heck I might be forced to actually have a social life.

Nope. Unless they become illegal (shudder), I'll stick with my PC.

I offered to buy the kids iPads or tablets for Christmas, and they said "what on earth for? What can't we do already with our PC and phones?" And they are 16, 17 and 21.

Microsoft thinks it is in control. One day, it will wake up and discover it is not in control of much of anything. If they satisfy their customers, they and their customers win. If they don't, they will lose in the long run.

Microsoft is acting like that person who, against wise advice, jumped off the top of a 100 story skyscraper. As he passed the 50th floor he was heard to say "they were wrong, nothing bad has happened." The pavement below will have the last word on that.

It seems they are not about to back down and listen to the people who actually create the content the consumers of smart phones, pads, and tablets expect to use and are willing to pay for. Because of that, I suspect Microsoft will continue falling past the 50th floor and onto the rock hard surface of reality. The result will not be pretty and not very good for anyone. It would have been stupidly simple to avoid: give people a choice. The support of choice is what has made Windows great throughout its two plus decade history. Without choice, it is all but worthless.

Does Microsoft have a plan B if their grand plan doesn't work out? I haven't seen one yet and I am not holding my breath waiting for one either.

I love that analogy! LOL