Shopsmith Forums

Personal computers are not "Durable Goods" and do have a life span.
I typically wind up replacing mine about 2-3 yrs of service.

Most people DO NOT need the latest greatest cutting edge technology. Unless you do video editing, Intensive 3D Design, high-end gaming or programming, the current low end to medium systems are more than enough to do most peoples computing needs. I paid $399 for my last home system 1 year ago and it does what we need at home. My work computer is whole different story, I get a new high-end work station every other year, it's just not worth going down for repair not to.

Digital technology is disposable for the most part.

With all the computer folks here, I can't help but wonder why the PowerPro has to be sent back to the factory for firware upgrade.

I understand while it is still under warranty but after that period has elapsed will it still be the same. I guess we won't know that for a couple more years yet.

It's called designed obsolescence.

I can imagine a marketing team coming up with concepts to sell "Upgrade Packages", etc.

I'm betting that for strictly firmware upgrades they only need the control panel that holds the electronics and not the whole machine.

The whole machine might be required for certain performance issues or other situations that fall "out of spec". Band saw Banging noises, loss of power, erratic speed changes etc. In other words, the motor not doing what the controller tells it to do,.

The addition of digital technology complicates the shopsmith immeasurably. One of the main reasons I'm not an early adopter. I work with computers all day and the last thing I want in my shop is a computer. That and the cost is prohibitive. Even if I had the discretionary cash, for such a purchase, I would be still be debating whether it's the right choice for me or not.

I'm rather fond of my "Greenie" and as long as it does what I need it to do, I see no reason for a whole hog upgrade.

Ed in Tampa wrote:I only buy a new computer when the one I'm using would cost more to upgrade than a new one would cost.

I'm faced with that now I have an old XP computer that only has 512 meg memory. All the new windows requires at least 1 gig. I can buy more memory but it is out of production and costs more than it is worth. Also the graphic card is out date. Then I get into the 32 bit and 64 bit play ground.

I can buy a new computer with more capability than I presently have for less than the cost of upgrade.

Now if I was going to the state of the art ( I first would wonder why unless I had a need that would tax anything less) it would cost me a lot more.

My biggest complaints are OEM software where they limit which windows release they will support and OEM hardware where the manufacture does not provide a driver for newer window releases.

Example I have a HP G55 Office jet all in one printer. Love it and it works like a charm. However it doesn't have wireless capabilities and really doesn't understand networking. I have it connected (hardwire USB) to my xp desktop but there is no way to connect it to my laptop via the net work. I have tried every trick I can think of. This I'm forced to buy a new printer.

I'm quickly getting to the point of buying a laptop that does what I want now for as cheap as I can find and when I need something new capability buy another one.

I think the days of upgrading desktops is pretty much over unless you are a gamer and want the latest graphics or sound card.

Have you tried setting up a network for your computers and printer through a router? My printer, modem and 2 desktops are hardwired (USB) to a router and my laptop connects through the same router with WiFi. All three computers have access to the printer and modem in this configuration. Routers are much cheaper than printers.

Ed in Tampa wrote:Example I have a HP G55 Office jet all in one printer. Love it and it works like a charm. However it doesn't have wireless capabilities and really doesn't understand networking. I have it connected (hardwire USB) to my xp desktop but there is no way to connect it to my laptop via the net work. I have tried every trick I can think of. This I'm forced to buy a new printer.

In addition to curiousgeorge's suggestion, if the printer has no network capability at all (wired or wireless), you can "share" the printer from the PC it is connected to via USB. And as long as that computer is turned on and connected to the network, your laptop (if also connected to the network) can print to it. See: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 57001.aspx

If I needed a new computer now I would order it without an operating system (cheaper that way) and install Linux on it for free and just keep installing the always free updates. Linux isn't for everyone but it serves me well and is 50 times more trouble free for me than Windows ever was. There are some limitations in software but none that have ever limited me. Also some add-on hardware items will only work on Windows like a cheap USB network stick I have here somewhere but others I have "just work". Forget the installation disk... just plug something in and Linux finds it and it just starts working. I have 4 running Ubuntu Linux now and you could not begin to pay me enough to go back. The biggest problem is for folks that have to run something very specific like Quicken etc. There are Linux versions of almost everything but some accountants for example insist on Quicken for business clients. If that is your circumstance you generally don't want to be running your accounting on an emulator etc.
I used to set some up on a dual boot setup where you can choose at boot which operating system you want but I quit bothering with that some time back.
That will become even less of an issue as time passes and more software will be run on-line instead of locally... You know, "cloud" stuff. I have never found anything on-line that didn't "just work" on a Linux machine.

I do have one "old" machine that I keep going that is in perfect condition and is almost as fast as my newer stuff. It is an old IBM "Think-pad" and boy is it built. I bought it off of Ebay maybe 2 years ago and love how it runs and feels. Screen clarity is amazing. I looked it up and when it was new it sold for right at $3500.
I dumped Windows off of it when I bought it and installed Linux which it runs perfectly. I used it on-line with a PCMCIA network card picking up my Verizon WIFI hot spot but the old card eventually failed and I have not gotten a new one yet. CompUSA still sells them. I just need to order one. One of those "round-tuit" things.

I also have an old iMAC (one of those all in one case ones that looked like it was from outer space) that IIRC is running OS-10. I keep it around "just because"...


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heathicus wrote:In addition to curiousgeorge's suggestion, if the printer has no network capability at all (wired or wireless), you can "share" the printer from the PC it is connected to via USB. And as long as that computer is turned on and connected to the network, your laptop (if also connected to the network) can print to it. See: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 57001.aspx

I guess that would work if I could find a driver for windows 7 machine. I have the magical window 7 driver that will allow me to print to the printer if the printer is plugged in to the windows 7 machine. However to network the printer Windows 7 wants another driver and I have no way of finding out what driver it wants.

I say magical window 7 driver above because it is driver that automatically downloads when you plug in a printer in the windows 7 machine. However nowhere do they give a driver name or in what library it is being installed. I have looked at all the drivers I can find and using best guess like HP in the name I can't find the driver.

Ed in Tampa wrote:I guess that would work if I could find a driver for windows 7 machine. I have the magical window 7 driver that will allow me to print to the printer if the printer is plugged in to the windows 7 machine. However to network the printer Windows 7 wants another driver and I have no way of finding out what driver it wants.

I say magical window 7 driver above because it is driver that automatically downloads when you plug in a printer in the windows 7 machine. However nowhere do they give a driver name or in what library it is being installed. I have looked at all the drivers I can find and using best guess like HP in the name I can't find the driver.

Have you looked here for a driver for that printer.

The tech world moves on, even if I don't. I am a Mac guy, but it is like Windows in that Apple will support older operating systems, and older software, for just so long, and then moves on to newer, bigger, better. That is just how the tech world is. So I move on when necessary. I do find that the changes usually are bigger and better. But even if they aren't, it does me no good to fight it. I have to remember that these are private industries, not government, and will do what is best and most profitable for them, which usually is what the majority of consumers need and/or want. I guess that is why Apple is making gazillions of dollars now, whether I personally appreciate the changes of not.

dusty wrote:Have you looked here for a driver for that printer.

Yeah
That is where is got my drivers until windows 7 then it becomes magic. I don't know what is be downloaded, where it is going, or it name. If you read the site for window 7 drivers for g55 they more or less tell you they will make it work on windows7 but not how they do it.