The Price of Progress

Since the inception of the personal computer industry, it developed some killer applications such as word processor and spreadsheet.  People bought PC to run these applications.  The main reason is to save time in writing and do what-if calculation.  They are valuable in letter writing and income tax return.  The PC streamlines the process, save time and improve our quality of life.  In the 1980's, there were many versions of word processor and spreadsheet.  It was the time of innovation and exploration. Remember the following, Word Star, Word Pro, Word Perfect, MultiPlan, BisiCalc, 123, Jazz, Word, Excel ... etc?  Eventually Microsoft's Windows 95 dominates the PC world and its Word and Excel become the standard tools most people use.  The killer programs became mature and I settled to the well-known Microsoft Office 97 that includes Word & Excel.  I was very happy and found that I could do what I need in writing and number crunching in my life.  All in all, this Office 97 is really a great tool for PC and I think I will live happily ever after.

However, something happened after this Office 97 was released.  Microsoft kept moving ahead to release Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.  To people who like Windows 95/Office 97, they got problem when their PC hardware got out of order and obsolete.  They can't buy PC with Windows 95 anymore and there is no easy way to install Windows 95 in the newer PC.  The question is that is there any need for people to upgrade every time when Microsoft releases some update?  If I don't reset some setting, the PC will automatically do the update without asking me first.  The worst is that it does the upgrade when you are in the middle of something.  Or when you turn off the PC and think you'd like to leave the house soon.  You then found the problem that the system is not shutting off.  Instead it is doing the update that may takes forever to do it.

To most people, the answer to the above question is no upgrade for a short term.  The problem is that after two or three years, some new hardware interface such as 1394 Firewire or USB is developed. You need software upgrade to take advantage of it.  However, users should have a choice not to upgrade. Fortunately at least they can install their good old Office 97 to the new Windows 98, 2000, XP.  However, some minor incompatibility creeps in & Microsoft no longer supports Office 97 although it tries to make it compatible to the new operating system.  The trouble is that with new Windows operating system, it includes a new Office package that is not free, users have to pay to use it.  But what about me, I already own Office 97 and want to continue to use it.  I have to use Control Panel to uninstall the new Office package in the system and then install Office 97 and I have done that in every new PC I bought.  It is a waste of time.

Here is the question, why do we have to pay something we really don't need?  Why can't they keep making the faster PC that still run the good old Windows with Office 97?  Microsoft really did a disservice to the users who just want to get things done without the new stuff they don't need.  Is this the price to pay in the name of Progress?  There are actually two issues here.  One is that is it necessary to replace the old one?  The other is that if the replacement is needed, how fast and how soon should it be?

Something similar happens in my neighborhood.  The street Arastradero connects Foothill to the Highway 101.  Thousands of cars use the street everyday.  The peculiar thing is that almost everyday some section of the street is under repair or under digging for some cables, phone lines or gas utilities.  People suffer during commuting hours and the people live nearby have to suffer all the inconvenience, noise and dirty air quality.  When there is no digging, they always find something new like repaint the lines of street or resign it to accommodate the kids, repaint 4 lanes to three lanes with turning lane, etc etc etc.  So the people keep suffering all year long and looks like a never ending process.  It is like the maintenance of the Golden Gate Bridge.  They do it year round, never ending.  Is this the price to pay in the name of progress? In the case of Golden Gate Bridge, it just tries to maintain the current status, not even makes any progress in the sense of pursuit of happiness.