# What have I been missing by using an old computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414 "2011-11-09T18:19:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HotDogWater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/35a633/32.png) [@HotDogWater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotDogWater)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/1 "2011-11-09T18:19:10Z")
So we finally bit the bullet and bought a brand new computer. So much faster on the internet than the old one, it’s like we were on dial up before. And we got a sweet 22" LED monitor, holy moly! So the question is, what have I been missing out on the past couple of years? Due to the wait time of the old 'puter, my habits now are surfing text sites like this one (no offense!); so what do you Dopers think I should be exploring now? ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/2 "2011-11-09T18:20:37Z")
> **[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com)** > > Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/3 "2011-11-09T18:40:44Z")
you weren’t missing anything, you were gaining time to think of things. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/4 "2011-11-09T19:56:20Z")
I shouldn’t think anything – I just spent my last dollar a few weeks ago on a netbook, which is 1.66 Ghz. Less “speed” than a notebook I bought in 2002, but it handles anything. I don’t do any more processing than some basic spreadsheets, some compiling of C code, and some running virtual instruments/samples. But then, I don’t “game,” so who knows. Anything on the web I can handle fine, at least among things I’ve encountered. If it ain’t slow, don’t fast it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/5 "2011-11-09T20:06:41Z")
> [@HotDogWater](#): > > So the question is, what have I been missing out on the past couple of years? Couple of years? My home computer is coming up on 7 years old, and I don’t think I’m missing out on anything. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/6 "2011-11-09T20:28:35Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Couple of years? My home computer is coming up on 7 years old, and I don’t think I’m missing out on anything. Mine runs Blowjob 2.0 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/7 "2011-11-09T20:31:18Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Mine runs Blowjob 2.0 I’m sure there’s a joke in there somewhere… ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/8 "2011-11-09T21:02:04Z")
> **[Stream TV and Movies Live and Online | Hulu](https://www.hulu.com/welcome)** > > Watch TV shows and movies online. Stream TV episodes of Grey's Anatomy, This Is Us, Bob's Burgers, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Empire, SNL, and popular movies on your favorite devices. Start your free trial now. Cancel anytime. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/9 "2011-11-09T21:06:06Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Couple of years? My home computer is coming up on 7 years old, and I don’t think I’m missing out on anything. Ditto. > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Mine runs Blowjob 2.0 Meh. That’s standard everywhere over here. ---
**Author:** ![HotDogWater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/35a633/32.png) [@HotDogWater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotDogWater)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/10 "2011-11-09T21:16:40Z")
yup. been all over the video so far, youtube and hulu and netflix…and youporn of course. is that all i’ve missed? figured there must be holograms or virtual sport or flying cars by now. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/11 "2011-11-09T21:26:20Z")
Almost a year ago, I replaced an eight-year-old system that had one gigabyte of RAM and was running Windows XP with a new system that has eight gigabytes of RAM and is running Windows 7. (I’m sure that the processor and everything else are a lot better, but I can’t remember the model numbers.) One thing that changed is the boot time. It used to take five or ten minutes to get to a stable state but the new one is ready in less than a minute. Also, if I go to the website of a retailer like Best Buy, I can flip through the online advertising circular very quickly. The older system was really slow to advance the page in the website. But the old system let me surf the web, write email and create documents in Microsoft Word, which is ninety percent of what I do. So in that respect, not much changed. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/12 "2011-11-09T21:31:41Z")
Skype…? ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/13 "2011-11-09T22:04:31Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > One thing that changed is the boot time. It used to take five or ten minutes to get to a stable state but the new one is ready in less than a minute. True dat. My new little toy, a netbook with 1GB RAM and a 1.67 GHz processor (32 bit as well architecture) running Windows 7 boots extremely quickly. Much quicker than faster processors with more RAM and 64 bit CPUs. I can still do anything I want if I hook up (as I often do) an old tower from 2001 with 192K of RAM, or an old notebook with an AMD 1.8GHz and 256 K RAM (both on XP). I don’t really think “speed” or newness has much to do with day-to-day performance unless you’re some kind of gamer. Both can handle external MIDI interfaces, soundcards, fine for my needs. Listen to the radio – most tunes were made in the box using machines of comparable power, if these tunes are of any vintage in the past ten years. ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/14 "2011-11-10T04:42:40Z")
The operating system does a lot more things, so you need fewer add-on applications. I’ve had a Windows 7 system for two years, and I’m still finding new features. Nose around in “Control Panel” – and there all kinds of diagnostics and fixes hidden in all sorts of places. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-been-missing-by-using-an-old-computer/602414/15 "2011-11-10T05:12:28Z")
I just got a DVR last week and hi-speed this afternoon (which is why I’m still online _NOW! STILL_!) and have come up to at least 2000 standards. I already miss going outside, playing with my kid and sunlight. Back to\* My Precious!\* 😃