The need for "Modern PCs"

[persia]

Look at it this way, back in the '80s only a small section of the population had desktops, those that had them needed them.  The the revolution came and desktops became ubiquitous, but the vast majority of people didn't really need a computer, so as the tablet revolution came those people began switching to tablets and the desktop is returning to just those that need a desktop.

Personally I have all three formats (a Mac Pro desktop, an iPhone 5 and a bunch of tablets, including an iPad Mini).

[persia]

ou can't compare computer users of the '80s with users of today.  Back in the '80s computer users were a self selected minority, maybe 10% of the population of Australia or the US.  Out of those a minority, maybe 10% of those, were doing creative things, but even if you say half of them that's still only 5% of the total populace.  Creative use of computers was never the norm and never will be the norm.

Add to that the fact that you can do creative video, pictures and music on a mobile phone or tablet.  Creativity is an innate ability, I've seen gorgeous photos taken and edited only on an iPhone and I've seen absolute cr@p photos taken with a USD 1000 DSLR and photoshopped.  There are professional photographers out there who only use an iPhone.  The tool is less important than the person wielding the tool.

[persia]

Most people who buy cars don't work on them, don't modify them, don't do anything with them except drive them.  It's a utilitarian relationship.  Same with tablets.  Technology ever advances.

Also the App store Apple created has inspired a whole generation of programmers.

[persia]

[youtube]l-d-rRkV4fo[/youtube]

[persia]

There's a whole series of computing devices - Mobile Phone, Tablet, Laptop Desktop, that consumers can choose from.  I have all four but for many one or two will do....

[persia]

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Keyboards and printers aren't wired devices anymore.  My iPad plays through my Apple TV connection without wires, and mice, well, they're sort of old school, but if you want a bluetooth mouse they are available.

I fail to see this fascination with wires.

Yeah, speed has very little to do with it, but a proper workstation offers I/O connections and a technical openness that current tablets just can't match.
I'm sure some day there will be tablets or tablet accessories that will make desktops entirely obsolete, but at the end of the day, it'll just be another form factor, rather than a different class of device.
I could see having a docking station that connects to external monitors, a proper keyboard and mouse, or any sort of standard peripheral, as well as an OS that's open enough to do any sort of general purpose computing, but the big sellers today are nothing like that.

[persia]

Tablets have pretty much wiped out netbooks, which to be frank, were cr@p devices anyway.  

The main disadvantage to tablets is that you can't develop software on them, at least not yet.  iOS will likely never allow that, but if you have a Mac you can develop your own software and download it to your tablet/phone without the Apple Store, but you can't distribute it to the world.

Now when Micro$oft comes out with it's intel Surface it would be possible to develop directly on it....

[persia]

That statement would sound better if said by Faerytale...

@rvo_nl
xp more stable than mac os x? Since when?.
lol