Posted by
CmdrTaco
on from the insert-beowulf-cluster-joke-here dept.
ringbarer writes "BBC News are reporting a recent Gartner Dataquest statement that over one billion PCs have been sold worldwide. What's even more impressive is that this figure is set to double by as early as 2008."
Just a thought...
by
Marque_Off
·
· Score: 1, Redundant
How many of those billion are sitting in land fills? And how many are still in operation,
how many are still over 6 billion people own a PC (because 1 billion PCs doesn't mean that
1 billion people on the verge of obsolescence, only 4 years later. Much new software is made
for the processor (233 MHz Pentium) or higher. Any further power needs, and my PC won't be
able to make another new computer, (sold as new?) and how many Windows copies with those
billion? Being at the top sure is nice, it is going to be years (passed 2008) when another
OS will be able to handle the software. Either I must upgrade it or replace it. And
replacing means an artificially high number sold, IMHO. Other consumer electronics like TV's
and VCR's have a much longer life expectancy. What matters more is what percentage of the
world are poor and may not have as much opportunity to buy and maintain computers, there are
still in operation, how many have been cannibalized to make another new computer, (sold as
new?) and how many have been 'sold' to retailers as opposed to homes. How about a better
number like, 'X number of computers currently in operation worldwide.' That's not really
surprising: 90% of the units are still running today. That still means that less than 1/6
people own a PC . Odds are, enough of them can afford a computer to top off the billion
mark. A billion? I would have thought it would be much higher by now.
-- While at a conference a few weeks back, I spent an interesting evening with a grain of salt.
Slashdot Mirror
Obligatory "Imagine a beowulf cluster..." post goes here....
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
a Beowulf cluster, etc., etc.
668: Neighbour of the Beast
How many of those billion are sitting in land fills? And how many are still in operation, how many are still over 6 billion people own a PC (because 1 billion PCs doesn't mean that 1 billion people on the verge of obsolescence, only 4 years later. Much new software is made for the processor (233 MHz Pentium) or higher. Any further power needs, and my PC won't be able to make another new computer, (sold as new?) and how many Windows copies with those billion? Being at the top sure is nice, it is going to be years (passed 2008) when another OS will be able to handle the software. Either I must upgrade it or replace it. And replacing means an artificially high number sold, IMHO. Other consumer electronics like TV's and VCR's have a much longer life expectancy. What matters more is what percentage of the world are poor and may not have as much opportunity to buy and maintain computers, there are still in operation, how many have been cannibalized to make another new computer, (sold as new?) and how many have been 'sold' to retailers as opposed to homes. How about a better number like, 'X number of computers currently in operation worldwide.' That's not really surprising: 90% of the units are still running today. That still means that less than 1/6 people own a PC . Odds are, enough of them can afford a computer to top off the billion mark. A billion? I would have thought it would be much higher by now.
While at a conference a few weeks back, I spent an interesting evening with a grain of salt.