This caught me by surprise.
Sales of personal computers had dropped like a stone starting about 15 years ago as we gorged on buying smartphones and tablets like the iPad. Now, though, computer sales have perked back up while we’re buying fewer smartphones and tablets every year, according to research firm IDC. [WaPo]
This computer came with an exclusive addition: Cat pee.
I’ve never been without a big workstation, relative to the times, usually running Linux, starting with the Yggdrasil release if memory serves. When I ran social media, aka Citadel-86, I had a second machine, usually dedicated to the task. When virtual machines (VM) came along, I could consolidate into a single piece of hardware, running the VM when I needed a Windows system.
These days, I have a Linux workstation running Fedora, and while I’m sure I have, or had, a Windows [10?] system under a VM somewhere on it, I actually haven’t needed it in so long I don’t recall how to bring it up. Or if it’s even installed. A work laptop serves to remind me of how much I dislike laptops.
On that Linux system there is, or was, also a DOSBox for running a Citadel-86 system. A while ago I found DOSBox was unstable, but that was long ago; today I should hope DOSBox would be rock solid. I mused recently about resurrecting C86 and advertising it as being ‘social media free of AI images and text‘, and then firmly put that thought away.
There’s also an inherited Surface from the 2013 time frame, reserved for use on vacations. It might not come up next time I try. Also, a smartphone.
And I figured I was just set in my ways, me preferring the big workstation and all.
Maybe I was wrong. While the article is indistinct as to reasons, my personal experience is that smartphones are read-only with a tiny screen, laptops without auxiliary devices are not quite read-only, but requires a determined user to actually generate content or code, with auxiliary devices it’s now a bit messy, physically speaking, and the laptop’s computing power may be a limiting factor.
And, yes, a workstation can also be a bit “messy”, but buying a modern workstation may mean the mainbox is now integrated into the video unit. And that misses the real point of having more power. It may not be a supercomputer on your desk, but the power is significant.
Since the laptop showed up, it’s a balance between convenience and power. This is similar to the appearance of the Walkman in the era of Hi-Fi stereos – it didn’t have the quality sound of the stereos, but carrying a Hi-Fi while you’re out for a walk was out of the question.
So, hurrah! for the workstation? Eh. Soberly consider your computing needs when looking and don’t follow the sheep to the shearing station.
But I can’t help grinning.
