Things Get Old Fast

 I read yesterday morning that my four year old computer doesn’t have the hardware to support a new update.  My son gave me an old iPad that he used about six years ago and the same thing happened.  Developers of apps and websites keep up with updates to the point where over time they won’t work with old hardware.  I learned something about computers and tablets yesterday morning.  

If the hardware isn’t there the updates will no longer load.  So, while you might pay more over the long run for a more expensive computer the thinking is it will last longer.  In some cases a computer can be outdated in about three years, but most will continue to receive updates from 5-7 years.  

I had no idea until my son gave me his old iPad.  I clicked on an ap that told me to download the new ap.  The download instructions told me I had to update the OS.  I couldn’t get the update to load and now I know why.  The iPad is too old for the new update to work.  

This is called planned obsolescence.  Electronics don’t last very long because the support for older stuff isn’t there any longer.  We are forced to replace computers every 5-7 years.  There are too many upgrades in new stuff that makes upgrades no longer applicable.  Electronics is probably disposed of more than anything else.  Why?  New stuff gets developed and makes old stuff obsolete.

Manufacturers own products—not consumers.  John Deere went through this in regard to a lawsuit filed by farmers that wanted to work on their own equipment.  John Deere said only factory trained technicians could work on a John Deere equipment.  The farmers said it was too costly plus down time when they can work on it themselves.

And this is where we are with electronics.  The manufactures of electronics only rent to us their consumer goods.  My HP computer is a brick because it can no longer support upgrades.  And without the upgrades my computer will be vulnerable.  This is why some advise turning off automatic upgrades.  But eventually stuff won’t work because the developers have moved on.

So, there you go.  TV’s are no different.  It quits and you don’t repair it.  You just get a new one.  And things can change a lot from year to year.  I’ve been smoking the same pipes for fifty years.  Nothing has changed.  Been married to the same woman and it just gets better.  The pipe this morning is my Dunhill Rhodesian pipe and my tobacco this morning is Old Professor and my coffee is from Trader Joe’s.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave