Five Reasons Desktop PCs Won’t Die - Comments Page 1

I found it interesting that almost all of your comments related to smartphones and tablets. however I find that the combination of portability with most of the desktop features you mentioned, make a laptop computer a better way to go.

People said the same thing about IBM mainframes in the 90's. PCs have replaced mainframe terminals in the front office but, in most large corporations today, there are still huge IBM mainframe computers running application written in COBOL under platforms such as IMS and CICS under Operation systems such as z/OS. All for some of the same reasons that you mention... PCs cannot handle the large peripherals, huge amounts of data, reliability, and security.

Ever since the introduction of GUIs (graphical user interfaces) software programmers have been giving priority to "pretty" over "functional." High-speed touch typists have given up complaining. Their needs have been ignored for too long.

First, the mouse, which requires moving your hand off the home row.

Then, some bozo got the idea to move the function keys from the left side of the keyboard ("Where God intended them to be") to the top row, above the number keys. More home row wandering.

All the while, keyboards have been getting chintzier and cheaper. Oh, for the tactile response of the good old IBM Selectric typewriter.("Huh? What's a typewriter, anyway?")

Finally, they want us to type on virtual keyboards using the tips of our pinkies.

You're right, Bob. When it comes to productivity, I'll take a good desktop system any day.

Interesting article in as much as I am asked this question regularly myself by friends, family etc. For me, the overpowering motive for keeping a PC is the comfort of using it - you are at a desk with (usually) a comfortable chair set up for you with a screen at the right height etc...I used to carry out work station assessments for work and, quite rightly, people who worked from home would be expected to have an area/workspace for their PC/laptop to be set up. If they used a laptop, they would nearly always have a separate keyboard and a laptop cradle which would raise the height of the screen. By the way, what is/are buggy whips??? (UK reader!)

I agree with all those points. And you'll never kill someone while texting on a desktop! ; )

I think you summed up the need for PC's rather well. I have a desktop with about five terrabytes of information going back to the mid 1990's. There just isn't replacing this capability with a tablet or smartphone. I just see tablets and smartphones as conveniences anyway. I am a PC man through and through.

Thank you for the article.

I'm a big fan of desktop computers for exactly the reasons listed. But I also appreciate the combination of a laptop with a docking station. It offers many but not all of the advantages of a desktop computer, in addition to portability.

Another reason I won't give up my PC entirely for a mobile device: My last PC lasted 7 years. I routinely get 5 years out of one. I've bought numerous laptops over the years (new, used, refurbished, you name it) and none lasted more than two years without needing major surgery. And many of them were complete losses at that point. Laptops and tablets might be portable and handy, but they're too short-lived to be worth the added expense.

Thank you Bob for this article. I very much agree. A lot of people misuse their eyesight by
gazing into a mini screen. But of course for some people it's fine, but I stick to the desktop with
two monitors.It allows me to work for hours without getting exhausted.And also, it allows me to listen to music from loudspeakers while I'm working.
Viggo.

Thank you Bob! a great deal of common sense. I recently purchased a small Tablet, which is great. It's small enough to use for ebook reading as well but would not consider it a replacement for my good old XP desktop, which does everything I need. Have you noticed virtually everyone I know that purchased a Laptop soon went a bought a wireless mouse!

Best regards ........ Geoff

Absolutely---never want to give up my desktop Mac

I basically agree with your assessment of the future of the desktop, specially in the workplace environment. I simply can't see why, from a productivity point of view, there would be any reason to change. Obviously not everyone works in and office all the time, and for them a portable device is probably ideal, the exact type depending on what they have to do. But I believe that heavy duty computing is easier done on a laptop than a tablet or phone.
But I suspect that the beginnings of the future are already upon us with the advent of cloud computing. Now it is possible to have access to virtually all the data on a desktop or even a server in the field, via Cloud Storage.
Right now there are two impediments that I personally experience, and I suspect are common to many if not most laptop users. One is access to the web at a reasonable cost and the other is the need for peripherals, particularly a printer. For me, anyway, the monthly charges for Wi-fi are just too much for my occasional use, and for someone who needs it every day, the monthly allowances are too low. It will be interesting to see if carriers cave and fulfill this need.
The few compact printers that would be portable, to date have been woeful disasters, and I'm surprised some manufacturer has not tried to fill this need. The other alternative is the easy availability of a printer/scanner "on the road". Currently the only places I've found access to such machines is at libraries or hotels, etc. If you are out for a few days it's an inconvenience, but if it's several weeks, its a major problem.
One problem mentioned in your article I think has been solved, that of public Wi-fi security. I have an encryption program on my laptop, and while I've run into some apparent glitches, the security end of it works fine as far as I can tell. there are several such programs available.

I agree 'life size' is important and a must to get anything done efficiently production wise. Dual screens, full keyboard, printer, label maker, scanner, external drives, etc. are often needed for serious work. Phones & tablets are great for on the move, but there are other work times. (¯`·._.·ns¢ävË·._.·´¯)

I think that this analysis changes significantly if you factor in the cloud. Storage and even processing power become moot points then.

I think there will always be a workspace - and I think it will include a keyboard (and dare I say a mouse) but I think the CPU and a certain amount of storage will be portable. The form factor may not have been decided yet.

I totally agree. Don't know of one business office that would switch from a desktop to a tablet for business work. I have told folks for years that laptops are good for RV's but not for home use where you have the room for a desktop.
The initial cost is higher and upgrading and repairs are not practical. As devices get smaller, this compounds exponentially.
I really can't understand watching a movie on a phone!

Absolutely right for people like me. When you write documents, use spreadsheets, edit images and videos, and want to be in control of your stuff, a desktop cannot be beat. While I don't use dual screens with my desktop, I do have a wonderful 24 inch monitor. Another reason to have a modern desktop: USB 3.0, although I suppose it will show up in smaller devices soon.

There will ALWAYS be 2 PCs, in my household!!! While, I do have a Smartphone, I hate typing on it. I have come to the conclusion, that my fingertips are just a tad to large, to type properly, on a Smartphone.

Yes, I love my Smartphone, but, only for the capability of communication, by VOICE, when I am out and about, away from home. Ok, I will use some of my apps, when I am out shopping or paying bills. So, a Smartphone is very handy, when you are away from home.

Overall, the vast majority is done on my PC. For example, it is soooooooo much easier to read what is going on, with my Facebook. I can see what people have actually written, since, my monitor is 22". Typing on my keyboard, with 2 hands, like I am use to doing, make my life so much easier.

I could NEVER see Businesses using only Smartphones. PCs will always be in Businesses world. Smartphones are also, as asset for Businesses, but, mainly for communications, when away from the office.

My main reason not to give it up is gaming

Yep. I agree with all. My wife loves her iPad and iPhone. But my main hobby is photography and tablets are all but useless for anything productive in this endeavor. I need large amounts of storage space and the desktop meets that requirement without having to resort to external boxes sitting around. I also desire the larger 21" to 24" monitor for editing and managing my photo images. Even a top-end, expensive laptop does not meet those requirments. So....yep...I agree with all of your assessment. I'm gonna keep a copy of it because I'm always being nailed with questions on this subject by friends and family members.

I so totally agree with you on why PC's will not fade away. My eyes are fading fast;I suffer a joint disease which worsens with age. E-reader, tablet help lots for their ease of weight and fast communication... but for _real_ productivity (yes I am full time lecturer), give me the PC always and anytime.
I also find the PC much better, more flexible in connecting with other systems and my Intranet; managing large amounts of information and programs, adn connecting other hardware, such as loudspeakers, printers, beamers.