A more powerful machine doesn't necessarily mean a machine that's more complicated to operate. While it's true that new programs may require a bit of time to learn, it seems that many, especially those designed for the average user, aren't that difficult to figure out, especially if you've used earlier versions of the same or similar programs. Granted, for some programs and for some people, taking a class or reading a well written book may be helpful.
As for compatibility, I've solved that problem. I keep an older machine in running condition, plus, when I get a new machine, I add slots or older media. The latest machine here takes the old 3.5 floppy disks, but also has a CD player and burner and a DVD player and burner, as well as USB and Firewire ports. I'm still using WordPerfect 6.1 and Lotus 2.01 as well as the latest version of Photoshop. Compatibility is available for those who seek it. However, one cannot blindly go into CompUSA or some such and buy a computer "off the shelf" without doing their homework. People go to Consumer's Reports and read about refrigerators and toasters, buy car magazines to learn about the new cars they are considering, and in general do their homework to some degree. Buying a computer is no different in that regard. Shel > [Original Message] > From: Malcolm Smith > For once, my sympathies lie with the public. Operating systems over the > years have made it become simpler and simpler to operate computers and yet > to keep up with technology, you need a more powerful machine, which folk > know less and less about. As folk update hardware, their need to 'know how' > to work it becomes more unnecessary, along with the fact that the storage > methods used on previous machines aren't brought forward or are superseded > on the new. I know lots of people with floppy discs, zip discs or CDs with > their pictures stored on them, which their new machines can't access. How do > you expect the non-technical average user to buy into a new system and > method of storage, when every few years it's been superseded and been made > obsolete? You used to take film pictures and put the results in the drawer. > Now you have much more convenience on taking and sharing those images, but > for most people long term storage is an unknown - even when they try.
