UPDATES DOWNLOADS UPDATED
How often do you get a notice that a piece of software or an application needs to be “updated” and “downloaded” to be sure that you have the latest and greatest whatever? It seems to me that it’s a weekly task like filling the gas tank or going to the grocery. It cleans up the old and now you’re all fueled up and filled up. I updated to iOS 9 point something 5 years ago and this past week it was 11.3.1. And how about the names? Big Sur? Really? Before that it was El Capitan” Is this some kind of CA conspiracy? I still have an iPhone 6. That was updated also 5 years ago and now I am supposed to succumb to an iPhone 11? You can tell I am an Apple consumer.
Here’s my concern.Why do things go out of date so quickly? Is there some kind of marketing strategy of putting out new models like a new car every year in order to boost sales? Oh yes, there are improvements and sometimes, on rare occasions, increased speed and efficiency. I am not persuaded that faster is always better. In fact, I now believe, and there’s some evidence to support this, that slowing down is healthier and more productive, especially when it comes to mental tasks. I have suspected built in obsolescence since the advent of Apple. My old MacBook G-4 from 2006, worked just fine. So why did I succumb to a new 13″ Mac Book Pro Late 2011? Was it the Intel HD Graphics 3000 384MB? Now I have another 13″ MacBook Pro 2017 with two Thunderbolt 3 ports. Whoopee! The graphics on this little gem are described as Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 1536 MB. Oh yes, lest I forget, the Processor is a 2.3 GHz Dual Core Intel Core i5.
I know I am technologically challenged but I doubt that’s a surprise to anyone who knows me. I have concluded I want to spend what time I have in activities other than software updates. I find it’s a little like too much traffic that makes me wait while there’s a space for me to enter and continue. I think I’ll just use my new GPS or WAZE to avoid the traffic. Thank you very much. I’m starting to sound like Jim Gaffigan again and that has me more worried than technology.
Why do things go out of date so quickly? Is there some kind of conspiracy like a new car model every year in order to boost sales? Oh yes, there are improvements and sometimes, on rare occasions, increased speed and efficiency. I am not persuaded that faster is always better. In fact, I believe, and there’s evidence to support this, that slowing down is healthier and more productive, especially when it comes to mental tasks. I have suspected built in obsolescence since the advent of Apple and before computers in all kinds of other machinery.
I no longer have the need or the desire to try staying current with too many things, too many people, too many applications. It’s simply too much so I am in the process of cutting back, cutting out and cutting down. I may even Link Out of Linked In. Social media being what it is, enough is enough already.
PS In the interest of full disclosure, the original post on this topic was 5 years ago so I just updated it and downloaded it for musing this week.