The Death of the PC has been Greatly Exaggerated

The "death of the PC" has been greatly exaggerated by the media for the last few years. The PC, which, by the way, stands for "personal computer," is simply in  moment of flux as the concepts around personal computing change.

Most people in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s did not need a full blown desktop or laptop computer for how they used the machine. The vast majority of people only needed someplace to store and retrieve photos and videos, a way to connect with the Internet, a way to connect with their friends and family (via email, blogs, and now social media). The vast computing power provided by a desktop, whether Apple or Window's based, was not needed nor used by the majority of people.

Tablets and smartphones have been around, in some form, since the early 1990s. However, it took significant leaps in technology and user accessibility before either became truly successful in the early to mid-2000s. It required additional refinements for each to become the ubiquitous devices we use today.

Apple's creation of the iPad and iPhone hit the right combination of user friendliness, options, and usefulness to get it right. Once a successful model was in place, the computer manufacturers were off and running. For many people, especially those for whom work and/or "power" gaming are not required, the tablet was all they really needed, and it was usually much cheaper than a laptop or desktop model because it focused on their needs only. The laptop and desktop are more generally usable, but that generality comes at a higher cost. The tablet and smartphone simply connected users to the Internet and to their family and friends. It allowed them to view videos and read the news that was important to them. And it was ultra portable, so they could take it with them wherever they went as opposed to chaining them to their desk or the limited portability of the much larger, heavier, and more awkward laptop.

So, yes, obviously the sale of this new tablet/smartphone personal computer ate into the sales of the old desktop and laptop personal computers. However, while the vast majority of people only need a PC that does those simple tasks, there are still many people who require more power to do what they need to do.

If you are serious about graphics applications, do significant amounts of work on a PC, or are a serious gamer, a tablet simply will not work for you. It does not have the power, accessibility, or lifespan needed to do what you want to do. Graphics applications, like video editing and serious drawing programs, require a level of CPU processing and power that simply cannot be found in tablets today. Many can only really be used in serious, high-end laptops (those referred to as "desktop replacements" or "mobile desktops") or on desktops. If you are writing a significant amount each day, you certainly don't want to do that on a non-ergonomic device like a tablet as you would have repetitive motion issues within a short order. And, if you have any desire to play the latest and greatest MMOs, FPSs, or sports programs, you need a dedicated graphics card, a lot of memory, and the fastest Internet connections, which you simply cannot get from a tablet or smartphone. A day may be coming where the tablet or smartphone can do these types of activities. But it isn't here yet.

The sudden creation and nearly ubiquitous use of "the cloud" for computing in the last few years has led to further advancements in how we interact with our PCs. For example, if my mother (or mother in law) said she needed a new PC today, I would probably steer her toward a Chromebook (or similar device) over a laptop, desktop, or tablet. It is a low-cost, easy-to-use, hard to get wrong device that uses primarily free tools via the Internet (most specifically, Google's free online Word suite replacements) to provide utility to its users. The current generation allows (limited) use offline as well as (full) use online, so you are not completely without your data. The OS is kept updated invisibly to the user and all virus protection and safeguards are on Google's end. For someone like my mother, this winds up being a nearly perfect solution to her PC requirements as a retired teacher who likes to write, stay in touch with her family and friends, have portability in her device, but also needs comfortable usability (as it is more like a laptop and less like a tablet).

In today's PC market people have a lot of choice. They can get the device that services their needs without getting a lot of extras they do not. For the vast majority, a smartphone, tablet, or Chromebook device is the perfect answer. Some still require the extra power and flexibility of a laptop or full desktop, however. The numbers on sales of "PCs" (i.e., desktops) are stabilizing at what will be their new normal and these articles about the "death of the PC" will slowly ebb as well. At least, until the next leap forward.

Bad Luck

Some time ago, I told you about my BIOS on my ASUS M2N-SLI motherboard crapping out on me. I got extremely lucky that a local shop had the ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe MB in stock and were willing to part with it-- with no return policy or assurances, but I've installed plenty of MBs and know what I'm doing.

That MB worked great... until today. Something about the SP2 Vista update, or something surrounding it, or possibly totally unrelated, caused my machine to spiral out of control until now I have no response from the BIOS at all. What was odd is that at first I had some BIOS response-- I could get to the BIOS and it would even start to boot, but then would freeze or reboot suddenly. Then, each time, it seemed to not go as far. Then the BIOS started showing odd things, like not recognizing all hardware attached, or rearranging it, or not saving settings. Then, finally, it just didn't respond at all... now I turn it on and all my drives start up, etc., but I don't even get a POST or a beep from it. *sigh

While investigating it, I did discover that I may have some sort of short on a wire in my case. Which, of course, could have caused both my MB/BIOS related issues (but is somewhat unlikely). I'm continuing to investigate that even with the dead BIOS.

As I have good, quality hardware that I don't want to replace right now, I went looking for a new MB that would be forward compatible but would support my existing tech. I found a nice ASRock MB that seems to fit that bill. The reviews I read for it were all very positive, and I was pleased with the additional information I found on the manufacturer's site for the board. And it comes in at $100, which was about what I quickly budgeted for this replacement MB.

The one amusing thing was that I could pay UPS ground at $14 to get it here in 5-10 business days, or I could pay slightly above $35 for "expedited" UPS shipping, which would get it here in... 4-9 business days. Yeah, okay, I think I'll stick with the $14 and take my chances on that one extra day. I can use M's PC for emails and blogging between now and whenever I get the MB.

I tell you, though, if I didn't like my case, my hardware, and everything so much, I might have taken my next paycheck and seen what I could get in a pre-built system, whether laptop or PC, with a really nice replacement warranty. One issue with build-it-yourself systems, which I've done since the early 1980s (and for those who don't believe me, my dad and I built my first 80286 machine around 1986/87 and before that we messed around with the Tandy line of PCs and hardware!), is that you don't get the all-encompassing, fix it or replace it warranties. And you have to maintain all of your individual warranties for parts and such. It can be a pain and I'm getting old enough that I'm not as willing to do the troubleshooting, repair, reformatting, or replacement any more.

Anyway, the new MB is ordered. Since I'm ordering from the west coast, they may even process it today and it may ship tomorrow, so I may not be down too long. However, this will put a bit of a damper on my usual PC activities. *Another sigh