The Disposable PC.
I was just having a conversation with a colleague when we had gotten to the topic of the disposable PC. If you are not familiar with the concept, this post will highlight the details below. When I first dabbled with computers back in the late 80’s, it was an Apple. We didn’t own it. It was available at the local school in the school’s computer lab of no more than 25-30 computers. They were running the Apple IIe and even though they were outdated at the time, they didn’t have the finances to upgrade the systems. By the time the 90’s hit I was already well acquainted with Macintosh line of PCs but again our family didn’t own any. All computers were just too expensive. At around 1995 (maybe a little earlier) our family dropped nearly $2,000 (USD) into a Packard Bell (rated as one of the worst PCs of all time). I am going off of memory but it ran no more than 70 MHz (Intel Pentium) and had no more than 8 or 16 MBytes of EDO RAM. I don’t remember the hard drive space, although I believe it was 2 GBytes supplied from one of the old school big foot drives. The PC came with Windows 3.11 but was soon later upgraded to Windows 95.
Note that I still use those big foot drives. I actually have a few scattered around the house and are used as door stops. It is all about recycling old computer equipment.
So there you have it, that is what almost $2000 bought you. So when you had a problem with your PC, you spent the money to fix. That is you bought all the necessary software or paid the appropriate technicians to handle all of the work. The PC was an investment and you were not going to drop it for anything else.
Flash forward to the year 2001, when Windows XP was released. A decent computer could be purchased as low as $700 USD. That included a licensed copy of Windows XP. Flash forward to the present when mobility is a constant demand, and a decent notebook or even netbook could be purchased at $500 USD. Obviously thanks to manufacturers such as Intel, AMD among others, the prices for hardware components have dropped significantly. It is very affordable to acquire the necessary equipment and has gotten easier to set it up in a home or anywhere else.
When I write about the disposable PC, blame for the creation and maintaining of such a culture does not belong to a single entity. It has gotten to the point where hardware has become so cheap that whenever someone who lacks any real technical knowledge comes across a computing problem (whether it be hardware or software related) has no problem running out and purchasing a new replacement. Microsoft and retail stores add to this culture.
For instance, what happens when you (a non-technical person) are prompted with a bunch of error dialog boxes, a virus or a system crash? If you do not personally know anybody who can fix it, you will take it in to a retail store that offers PC repair services, such as Best Buy. The only reason why I pick on Best Buy is not because I harbor any negative feelings toward them (they are a business selling services and products) but instead because in the late 90’s to around 2001/2 I used to work for them and was familiar with the processes and routines when it came to PC repair.
Note that prices may have changed since then.
To diagnose a PC, it was $60. We would not have repaired the PC, even if the problem was apparent unless this diagnostics fee was paid in full. This $60 was never applied toward any other repairs either. So if we came back saying that your hard drive went bad and you need to replace it and reinstall the OS, you looked at spending another $120 for a hard drive, $60 to re image Windows followed by another $20 or more to install all Windows Updates and/or any other applications or device drivers. Add another $60 if we were able to salvage data from your old hard drive and transfer it to the new one. At times you were looking to spend over $320 for repairing a PC. This could have been more than half the price of buying a new PC. So why invest into something that is already outdated? And if the service prices have increased since then, then what is the point when you can spend $400 or less and get a netbook with a Linux distribution or Windows 7 pre-installed?
Some of you may be asking: how does Microsoft fit into this? Deep down, I believe that more than half of the problems in Windows are intentional primarily because Microsoft (and good for them) is a money making machine. In order for them to make money, the people that sell and repair their products have to make money. I am pretty sure that if Microsoft wanted to invest the time and money to create the most secure and stable operating system, they could. They don’t have idiots working for them. I think it is that “if you scratch my back, I will scratch yours mentality.” It also doesn’t help that whenever a call is placed to a support center or when a PC is brought into a repair shop, the solution usually given by the technician is to re-image Windows. If I have a virus, why can’t you just remove the virus and I will be on my way?
I, as many of my readers, on the other hand know better and choose to rely on something a lot more stable and secure with (insert flavor of Linux or UNIX here). Why be bothered with constantly having to maintain or repair your OS. Sometimes you just need things to work. Maybe that is why you read stories about how repair shops such as Best Buy’s will refuse the repair of a computing device if you are not running a version of Windows. They probably don’t see any money it.
>>repair shops such as Best Buy’s will refuse the repair of a computing device if you are not running a version of Windows. They probably don’t see any money it.
Most likely they just don’t know how to deal with it.
Hiring one Linux expert per location would squash that problem. As soon as the public learns where they can take their Linux box for service I can’t see how selling boxes with a quality Linux install wouldn’t be a great seller.
Comment by J. — 16. February 2010 @ 20:26
While I don’t disagree with the article, I fail to see a problem with this, if all computers were like Apple and costed $3000 then OSS/FSF wouldn’t exist. Sure, if you aren’t tech savvy then you’ll probably have to buy a new machine. If you know your way around Windows or any other OS for that matter, it won’t be a problem. You can give it away, buy new or fix/repurpose yourself it to some other function.
Comment by d — 16. February 2010 @ 20:28
I tend to agree.. computer problems are a mystery for most people and I for one have gotten really tired of supporting my WinXX friends. Although most of them at this point see the solution to their woes in a new machine.. after all they’re quad core now and *must* go much faster.. right? I’ll offer to fix their machine with a new os that does everything they are use to doing just with different program names in most cases.. This has worked for those that don’t mind the adventure but the remaining are just not willing to put the effort into the switch. They say this despite the fact they’ll be upgrading from XP to 7… quite a different mindset in and of itself. So I offer to acquire their old machine and revamp it for donation. Baring any hardware issues this has worked quite well. For those I have converted, the latest iteration of kde has been received favorably and many have even bragged to their friends how cool it is.. Occasionally I’ll even make a little extra change putting it on their friends computer.
Comment by Mark — 16. February 2010 @ 20:54
you nail it down, my wife just recently stopped working at a slave farm aka MS customer support hearing her stories at the end of the day was hillarious, at that moment i realize MS will never go away, there are plenty of dumb people out there. MS and shops know PCs have become the equivalents of cars, people just turn them on and use them, they have no clue about anything, something goes wrong, take it to the nearest shop or call center and pay up.
Those of us that use alternate OSes (insert your linux flavor of choice here) are like those car owners that can fix them/modify them/buid them on their own and can use anything as fuel.
Comment by juan — 16. February 2010 @ 20:59
Since we’ve changed to Linux 2 years ago, we have revived plenty of old hardware.
My Thinkpad T21 with 256mb ram and 8mb onboard video still works after a dozen years using a XCFE based distro.
We have a P3 and P4 for the kids and gave my mom her first computer, an old Celeron based laptop that runs smoothly. Yup, granny rolls with Linux.
And bought a 2nd hand P4 for almost nothing for an aunt.
Yeah, were not really helping manufacturers but with a few additions of ram here and there weve have managed to prolong the life of our hardware thanks to Linux and its not only green but it saves us money too.
And while I am not a big fan of the disposable PC notion, once we start getting those famed sub 200$ ARM based netbooks, we will be even closer to it than ever before.
Comment by ned flanders — 16. February 2010 @ 22:35
SSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!
Don’t let this get out! This is how I end up getting lots of FREE computers for me to run my linux on!
That’s right, windows users get a virus, buy a new laptop without a virus…….& often give away a perfectly good machine!
So please, don’t tell any more people!
[Being a bit sarcastic, of course, but I do accumulate computers this way.]
Comment by The Garage — 16. February 2010 @ 23:51
Excellent article. You’ve hit on something I’ve been mentioning to people for a long time: stop “upgrading” computers. Just buy a new one. They usually look at me strangely when I say that, but seriously, upgrading these days is for masochists.
Another way I manage to shock associates is by telling them I no longer build my own PCs because it’s just too expensive. They look at me like I’m crazy… surely building from scratch parts is cheaper, right? Wrong. There are so many things these days involved in putting together a PC, I simply can’t do it for what the manufactures manage to charge for a ready-built, complete-with-windows box. Consider: case, power supply, motherboard, graphics card, RAM, hard drive, DVD drive, microprocessor, fan… add to that a ludicrously expensive Windows package (or if you’re smart, a free Linux) … you start adding all those together and you can hit almost $1000 real quick.
The cost of a brand new, spanking-shiny computer, duo-core, 500 gig, 4 gigs RAM computer these days? $500. THAT’S DIRT CHEAP. If you wait for a sale, you can get a nifty monitor and printer along with that. You cannot build a box for that price. The computer manufacturers are buying in mega-bulk and getting their core prices down to rock bottom. I never even dreamed computers with the power we see today would cost under $500.
So yes, I agree, we have reached the age of the disposable PC… and will continue to do so as prices drop even more. As soon as someone figures out they can integrate a tiny hard drive right into the motherboard, weld the power supply right in, and solder the RAM right to the board, integrate a flat DVD drive right onto the board, integrate killer graphics right into the motherboard, and slap it all in a box the size of a book… we will have a truly disposable computer with some respectable power, that sells for $299 (the Mac Mini “brick” is durn close to that concept, but of course, bears an $$$Apple $$$price).
When a $299 “mini-brick” computer breaks for any reason… it will be easier and cheaper to just go out and get a replacement than mess with repairing it… with the advantage that the replacement will probably be advanced new tech. Win/win situation.
Comment by Wayfinder — 17. February 2010 @ 02:48
To commenter #2 (comment by J). I think you are missing the point.
First off, he was trying to illustrate if a computer was $3,000.00 like a Mac, or even $1,500 like a Packard Bell, it is worth spending $300 or $400 fixing it. Once the price drops down to under $500 a $300 repair is tossing away good money, it is more than 50% of the cost of a brand new, better and faster system with no problems.
Secondly, Richard Stallman created FSF back in 1986 related to software freedom, which is everything to do with the price of “free” to have access to source code and the ability to make changes to that code. Neither $3,000 computers or $1 computers have any effect on that issue. Software at any price (even free) that does not have those freedoms it what casued the creation of FSF.
Comment by Fred — 17. February 2010 @ 04:30
My first PC in 1992 cost about $ 500, my last in 2008 cost $ 5000, but it beats a Cray I fair & square.
Early in this millennium, Intel processors ran at 3 GHz and they’ve tried to hit the 4 GHz mark ever since. There’s little reason to buy a new computer these days when replacing the failed component is cheaper. Of course you would not want the clowns at the retail store to ‘repair’ your PC.
Someone who can actually fix Windows would cost you a fortune, so if you have a problem, you end up reinstalling your OS.
Comment by Daniel — 17. February 2010 @ 15:00
@Daniel I think processor manufacturers are concentrating more now on less wattage per cycle, more cores, cooler, and more efficient (well, that covers the previous I guess). It seemed like they were trying to scale up and are now trying to scale out.
Comment by TK — 17. February 2010 @ 17:29
Holy crap! JUst found your blog via a google search. Its almost unreadable in google chrome with default settings under ubuntu
Comment by caspar — 17. February 2010 @ 17:31
Caspar,
>>Its almost unreadable in google chrome with
>>default settings under ubuntu
Well, I am happy that it is still somewhat readable.
Comment by admin — 17. February 2010 @ 17:41
Yeah PC repair like VCR repair which was a hot business in 1980 when such units ran 1,000$+ and by 1990 not worth it when the average costs of a new unit were headed south of 50$. If feel for the guy who is weaning friends, neighbors, coworkers from Windows support I am tired of it as well. Anyone who pushes there hardware on me for gratis (free as in beer) repair these days has to make the bargain to accept an “upgrade OS” (typically Ubuntu, Mandriva, or OpenSUSE). The ground rules: 1) I NEVER say it’s free unless specifically asked; that seem’s to prejudice a lot of folks against it “it’s gotta be cheap (as in quality, you get what you pay for, yada, yada), 2) after a honest two weeks to month of active use, you don’t like it you get one free “downgrade” to that other OS, 3) if you stick with it will support the linux from that point one (but other than simple user questions, its unlikely ever to come back in my garage after the “upgrade” baring hardware failure. Went into Best Buy a couple of months ago to ask where their LINUX netbook selection was (wanted to get one), man were those sales people nasty, I had thought they stocked those, oh well guess there’s always mail-order.
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