Advanced Computers

[OrbitzXT]

A random thought popped in my head, most of the people here cringe at the thought of buying an overpriced prebuilt PC from a company such as Dell, HP, Gateway, etc. Do you think there will come a time in our lives when computers have become too advanced where normal people like most of us can't just buy parts and slap it together? Those new handheld PCs seem like something I'm thinking of, but more for home computers where they're so compact or something. Blah I don't know exactly what I'm thinking about, but do you think building computers will get more complicated or difficult, or will they keep it "simple" so theres a base of people constantly buying parts?

[Mussels]

Compare overclocking: in the past, moving a few DIP switches was all there was to it. As long as people want more and more complexity in their options, the hardware will get harder to use.

They wont get TOO complex, because then its expensive to train people to make and repair the damned things, but specialty areas (laptops, PDA's) will definately fall into the 'not for everyone' category.

[ShadowFold]

I think that it will get easier. AMD is working on integrating the CPU and GPU or w/e I read that awile back. Right now its easy as pie to buy parts and build a rig and as things have been going it can only get easier.

[OrbitzXT]

I thought AMD's thing was to allow the integrated graphics to enhance the actual GPU if thats what you meant. Intel has an interesting thing that is supposed to come out in 2009-10 called Larrabee. I read a few articles about it but didn't understand all of it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larrabee_%28GPU%29

[GameSinewPCs]

If you follow the pc trends over the last 15 or some odd years, you will notice that with added functionality has come added simplicity. Parts in the market have become more standardized/compatable and are much easier to assemble than most older hardware. The issue will never be about "complexity" because as far as technology goes, the chips and physical hardware are already extremely "complex." For example, can you fabricate a processor in your basement? The idea is that as long as there is a market for home based consumers building or even just upgrading, then the actual interface used to assemble PCs is liable to continue to become simpler and more optimized as the years progress. I assure you that computers are quite complex, they are simply marketed to have interchangable parts for convenience of upgradability and different configurations for different needs.

[magibeg]

Computers can never become too complex for an advanced user, as someone mentioned earlier in this thread it would be too expensive to train a workforce to work with them if they became too difficult.

[DaedalusHelios]

A random thought popped in my head, most of the people here cringe at the thought of buying an overpriced prebuilt PC from a company such as Dell, HP, Gateway, etc. Do you think there will come a time in our lives when computers have become too advanced where normal people like most of us can't just buy parts and slap it together? Those new handheld PCs seem like something I'm thinking of, but more for home computers where they're so compact or something. Blah I don't know exactly what I'm thinking about, but do you think building computers will get more complicated or difficult, or will they keep it "simple" so theres a base of people constantly buying parts?


Only when it reaches organics..... then it will be to complicated.

[thoughtdisorder]

Hardware is hardware, that aspect should stay the same or maybe even get a little easier. Besides the types of tools we may need to build in the future, I don't see much change.

Software may be what changes the builders world by making it tougher for the system builders. MS has never been too crazy about private builders, so I wouldn't be surprised if the OS's got tougher and more expensive as well as some of the drivers,etc.

Just my 2 cents..:cool:

[Mussels]

well it should still be easy to assemble, but look at things like this: heatsinks have changed drastically. I have a few CPU's from the early socket 370 era that work without even a heatsink. you need to match CPU's to motherboards for FSB support, there are various CPU sockets and so on.

There are rules, if one of us didnt look at a PC for 10 years and tried to use one we'd crap ourselves that we knew nothing anymore. As long as we keep reading TPU news however, we should be set,

[cdawall]

pop off the plastic cover on a 07 car and compare it to hell a car from 1990 look how much more complex the new one is people still work on those just fine what makes you think computers will be different from that? basic assembly is doubtful to change significantly

[Mussels]

heh... if these rules applied, my dad would still be able to fix PC's.

Trust me, he cant :P
I remember a few years back when he tried to power on a PC without a motherboard to tests fans/lights etc, and went through 4 PSU's before he realised the ATX spec requires a mobo to power on a PSU ...

[3991vhtes]

Lmao!

[PVTCaboose1337]

There will never be a time when I cannot buy components and slap them together.

[Mussels]

There will never be a time when I cannot buy components and slap them together.

i will give you my 100% backing on that.

However, i make no guarantees slapping the hardware will result in a working PC, now, or in the future.

[3991vhtes]

if you slap them hard enough, you could ruin something :(