Shel,
just so you know some, of us are getting your posts on the first try. I
received this twice, the first one time marked an hour later.
Kenneth Waller
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shel Belinkoff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <pentax-discuss@pdml.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 10:05 AM
Subject: RE: OT: How do you store your precious moments for posterity?
A more powerful 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superseded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method of storage, when every few years it's been superseded and been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.
