Sailorman

Tech: And You Think Q4's Going to Be Bad? - Barron's

That can be said for the automotive industry, too! I lust for the simple cars of yesteryear that I could fix and service in my drive way.









On Dec 21 10:34 PM LilBob wrote:

> The real problem with tech is that we've reached a point in development
> where user's are able to derive enough social utility from devices
> they already own that new products aren't as appealing. Everyone
> should have seen this coming. There's a growing Open Access movement
> out there for older software that uses up less of a Personal Computer's
> system resources, high definition television has exceeded the point
> where the average 40-something is able to perceive the difference
> between a DVD movie and a high-def DVD movie, and people have in
> large part come to the realization that "constant connectivity,"
> can be tremendously annoying.
>
> This is one of those "Our Iceberg Is Melting," moments where the
> ones who are successful are those who recognize the change and adapt.
> Those vendors who offer units with readily available replacement
> parts, easy software compatibility and flexible service plans are
> going to be successful. Those firms that insist on proprietary software
> and parts are going to see their market share disappear. This is
> going to be an interesting time because some firms that became truly
> massive over the course of the last 15 to 20 years may disappear
> rather quickly while Open Source will make a comeback. I also wouldn't
> be surprised if we see a pushback against technology.
>
> The Baroque era of European history was characterized by tremendous
> ornamentation in all things: music, architecture, clothing, etc.
> The Baroque era was succeeded by the Classical era, a period of relative
> minimalism in European culture. We've been living in a technologically
> baroque age. Don't be too surprised if we see a push towards a quieter
> more old fashioned existence-one that doesn't include so much beeping
> and buzzing and pointing and clicking.
>
> The way to succeed in tech nowadays isn't to push new features or
> try to generate perceived needs for the stuff your engineers just
> thought up, it is to focus on performance, reliability and economy.