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Patrick Chinn
Distributed Network Computing Consultant
pchinn@oregon.uoregon.edu
An aging computer is much like an old car: there is a point when spending more money on it will result in nothing more than a reduced checking account balance.
Determining when to buy rather than upgrade is not a science, and it helps to develop and use a technology management plan. I have included several popular techniques:
University students study for four years, at which point they have (theoretically) earned enough credits to graduate and move on to the next phase of their lives. Why not apply the same rule to technology?
Budget and plan to replace one quarter of your computers every fiscal year. (While most corporations replace hardware once every three years, the university lacks the funding of the typical corporate technology department. Instead, let's make our computers work one year more before we move them on to the next phase of their computing tasks.)
Some companies, such as Microsoft, subscribe to the concept that it is time to replace a computer when, as users, we decide we need to upgrade to the newest operating system.
Aside from filling Microsoft's pockets, there is some merit to this concept. With appropriate planning, both computer hardware and operating system will reach the end of their lives at about the same time. Also, buying a new computer with a preinstalled operating system is generally less expensive than buying the OS upgrade and any requisite hardware upgrades to make the computer compatible.
Under this plan, Windows 98 users are due for some new hardware. Also note that Microsoft is dropping support for Windows 98 and ME at the end of this year, and its new Office Productivity Suite is designed to run only on newer operating systems (see article on page 13).
The local county fair was always a fun visit as a child until you realized that the one ride you absolutely had to experience had a height restriction that even the extra lift in your Buster Browns simply would not help you exceed.
Providing computer support for equipment that no longer measures up is often a source of frustration and wasted work time. That's when the concept of minimum specifications applies.
If you're using a computer running any version of Windows, we strongly encourage you to consider buying a new computer if your processor is 266Mhz or slower. (To check the speed of your computer, right-click on My Computer and select "Properties.")
If you're a Macintosh user, you should be planning to get a new Mac if you have anything other than a G3 or G4 processor. (To check your computer's processor, run a program called "Apple System Profiler." It is installed on most every Macintosh, although the location varies.)
Among the roadblocks to purchasing new hardware are two common myths:
Myth #1: "As soon as I buy a new computer it will be obsolete."
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate dictionary defines obsolete as "no longer in use or no longer useful." While your new computer may soon be replaced in a company's product line by a new model, this doesn't mean your PC suddenly becomes useless.
Myth #2: "They are so expensive!"
The price of computers has been dropping steadily since the PC was invented in the 1980s. Today, you can buy an entry-level PC or Macintosh for under $1,000. Dell and Gateway, for instance, often have complete systems priced around $600.
Top-of-the-line computers, by their nature, are more expensive than entry-level systems, but they too have been dropping in price.
Take 15 minutes to do a quick survey of the computers you use on a daily basis and then implement one of the life cycle plans outlined here. This type of planning will reduce the amount of downtime you experience from computer problems.
For assistance with purchasing new computers, contact your department computer support person or call Microcomputer Services at 346-4412.