Here's what I have a hard time understanding: Consider ANY other product that people buy. Cars, TVs, shoes, washing machines, you name it. In ANY other product category, vendors come out with new versions of their products on some fairly regular basis. And in ANY other product category, consumers may buy the new versions of those products, or they may not. This is the way the world goes, and it has been this way for much longer than I have been around.

No one seems to think it is unreasonable for Ford, or Toyota, or any other car makers to introduce new versions of their cars every year. No one has fits when Maytag or GE come out with new versions of their washers and dryers every year. No one thinks they are being forced to upgrade their TV every time Sony or Samsung comes out with a new TV model. No one whines and complains about how the new Reeboks are no better than their 10 year old Reeboks, and therefore they will never ever buy a new pair of shoes ever again.

So why is it so difficult for people to accept the fact that Microsoft is just a company that makes and sells various products, and that those products will be updated from time to time? Why do people think these upgrades are being "forced" upon them? Why do people have to make a big stink about whether or not they will upgrade? And more importantly, why do people have to come across with this attitude that's like "Well, I don't like the new version of (insert Microsoft product name here), therefore, anyone is an idiot if they upgrade!"

I have plenty of clients who still have old computers running XP. There's even a handful of W2K machines around. On the other hand, when my clients decide they need new computers, they now get computers with Windows 7. Very rarely does anyone upgrade an old computer to a newer version of Windows, but when they decide they need a new computer, they get the new software too, and they are happy. In a year or two from now, they will be getting new computers with Windows 8. So what? Bill Gates doesn't go around pulling the plug on the old machines with W2K and XP. They still work as long as people want to keep using them. Microsoft does not force anyone to upgrade, any moreso than GM forces customers to buy new cars every year, or Nike forces everyone to buy new shoes every time they come out with a new style.

I just don't get why people act so weird when it comes to Microsoft updating it's product line from time to time. Are these forums just full of a lot of computer nerds who have no life outside of whining about software upgrades? Or am I missing something?

Rick