Washing machine = simple machine, computer = complex machine
Granted, a computer is a much more complex machine than a washing machine. I don't think it is fair to compare the amount of maintenance needed to keep a complex computer system safe and reliable to the minimal amount of maintenance to keep a simple machine like a washing machine running. After all, your washing machine probably doesn't even connect to your network. There really isn't any way for hackers to get at it. There is no option to add new features to it (and potentially mess it up) by downloading and installng new software on it. There are no USB ports or PCI slots to plug new hardware into. It's just a washing machine.
As for upgrading on your time schedule, now we are back to the part I'm just not understanding. Who says you can't upgrade your computers whenever you feel like upgrading them? Who says you have to upgrade to Windows 8 as soon as it becomes available? Who is preventing you from continuing to use 7, or Vista, or XP, or W2K, or ME, or 98, or 95 or 3.1, or even plain old MS-DOS, if that is what you want to do?
My new washing machine as a lot of new options that my old washer did not have. It took me several reads through the owners manual to figure everything out. In comparing the complexity of a washing machine to the complexity of a modern computer, I'd say the effort required to learn the new washer's interface was comparable to the effort it took me to learn Vista's new interface after upgrading from XP relative to the overall complexity of a washing machine compared to the overall complexity of a computer operating system. The transition from Vista to 7 was easier. And, from what I've seen of 8 so far, I suspect it won't be all that tough to learn either.
Rick
