This and That: Crystal Ball Time
       By Elizabeth B. Wright  October 2006

What does the future hold for personal computer users? When the present generation over the age of 60 is gone, there will be few people who have not been exposed to computing at an early age. Many will own desktop or notebook style computers and will have a good working knowledge of how to get the most out of them. But what is in store for them?

If you look at the programs that most of us actually use on a home based computer, be it Microsoft, Apple or any other type of machine, you will probably conclude that all we are really using is one of or a combination of the following:
1. The internet, mainly for e-mail, but also for tracking the stock market or other informational interests (also used by the bad guys to track us or exchange information on how to harm us)
2. Word processor, most likely MS Word, even though there are superior programs
3. Photo cataloging with possible photo enhancing software
4. Greeting card producer
5. A few of us might also be using some type of spreadsheet program, although it may be hidden inside some other software disguised as a "checkbook" or "financial" package
6. Well, that's about it

If you are using any of the more complicated features of the above programs, or other industrial strength software, it is more than likely in connection with your work. Teachers, draftspersons, photo restorers and others come to mind.

So what are the computer manufacturers and software developers doing? Mainframe comes to mind. In case you haven't noticed it, there is not much new that can be done with a personal computer. Just look at the money we have wasted "upgrading" to operating systems and programs that often do very little more than the previous version, and often do it less efficiently.

But the serious users are busily converting their programming skills to mainframe computers, if they weren't there to begin with. The machines are so unbelievably powerful and with such enormous data storage capacity that the average home user cannot comprehend what is going on. What appear to be personal computers in the workplace often are workstations tied into a mainframe somewhere else. And that, my friends, is where the industry money is going. My guess is they have lost interest in the minor needs of personal computer users and very little money will be invested from now on in what we use.

But in the immortal words of someone (although Bill Gates denies ever saying it):
"No one will need more than 637 kb of memory for a personal computer."
640 kb was the original limitation of the IBM Personal Computer and only through a fluke did we get to the memory capability that we enjoy today. Apple never had such a limitation.

Time may prove me wrong, but judging from what I see in the stores and talking to the really serious users with whom I am acquainted, my advice is - get everything you need now plus spare parts, because you may not be able to easily get any of it a few years from now.

Elizabeth Wright is a member of the CCOKC and secretary to the Board. She is a regular writer for the eMonitor