Then you were not purchasing any computers between about '92 and '04.
If you were, you would know that all graphics cards and processors were doubling in speed every 9-12 months during that time. The new game that just came out, couldn't even be played on a 12 month old computer. There wasn't a computer manufactured during those years that wasn't outdated within 2 months.
There were no incremental increases in processor speeds of 5-10% like we just saw either. 100% was closer to the norm along with doubling of bus speed, RAM, graphics processing speed, doubling of CD write speed, then when DVD's finally hit, we saw doubling of DVD-write speeds every 12 months also.
You haven't watched the price of LCD and plasma HDTV's over the past 5 years either. They were dropping in price at dizzying speeds. Sometimes as much as 50% in less than 6 months time. They've really on been affordable to the masses for maybe the last 2 years. With your attitude I would have to feel for those suckers that bought them when they were $10,000 and 6 months later a new one came out for $5,000 and then a few months later at $3000. For myself though, I am grateful to those that could afford the new tech at that time. Without those taking an interest, we wouldn't have the HD sets that the rest of us can take advantage of today.
I can go on, Blu-Ray players, the now dead HD-DVD format. I personally have 2 of those. Every industry does it and every computer manufacturer does it and has done it (especially if they've been around longer than 2-3 years).
As for the price drop, you'd best take a look around at the economy. Our company has dropped prices to pre-2000 levels and sales are still down 50%.
One recession I went through a few years ago, I had bought a house in a new subdivision. Recession hit the area about a year after my purchase. The last dozen houses sold in that subdivision went for 30% under what the rest of us had paid. We're talking well over a hundred home owners just in that one sub-division lost $20-$50,000 on the value of their homes during that time.
That computer you were tickled with a few days ago, is still exactly the same computer it was a few days ago. It has not changed. It will still do all the same things now that it did a few days ago. It is still every bit as good now as it was a few days ago. The only thing that has changed is your attitude and perception.
edit: Oh, and vansmith - you might as well get use to it. This is what happens around here every time Apple upgrades their hardware. Guess I should take my own advice and just quit reading these ridiculous things since they get me irritated also.
edit # 2: think I've got a new answer for the ones coming to the forum to ask when they should buy. Instead of buying a computer when they need one, think I'll tell them to start doing without one whether they need it or not and only purchase within the first week after new upgrades. If they don't buy in that first week, they've missed the opportune time to buy and should sit around and do without until the next one.
edit # 3: Or maybe we should suggest people not purchase any technology until the manufacturer has gone out of business or quit manufacturing that type of device. Then they wouldn't have to worry about any future upgrades. They'd always have the latest. Like the TI-99, Mattel Intelevision, Beta-Max, HD-DVD, etc. You'll always have the latest thing, since there will never be another.
. I should take my own suggestion as well and stop answering these.
