PC Sales Slump as Kids Say No to Computers

rcjordan · October 12, 2012, 06:26:42 PM

We already know PCs aren't cool (are college freshmen more likely to show off their new iPads or their new Dells?), but it's starting to look like they're also not needed.

http://www.wired.com/business/2012/10/pc-sales-slump/

BoL · October 12, 2012, 06:39:31 PM

Makes sense. I use a laptop for web dev but tbh, I only need the screen, mouse and keyboard as all the work is done on remote servers. So no fancy graphics, sound, memory or processor required.

With google docs and the like available, there's less need for a PC and/or Windows.

Desktop PC's are still great for gaming though...

edo · October 13, 2012, 11:37:20 AM

I think this whole "PC is dying" line that is gaining traction across the web is way off the mark.

As the top-rated commenter on the Wired article said:

"There's a huge flaw in this article's logic: It assumes that because sales have slumped it's because PCs aren't cool. But there's no evidence for that. A more likely explanation is that many people don't feel an urgent need to replace their computers every year, certainly not recently. There haven't been any major leaps in processor power for a while now -- it's not like the jump from 286s to 386s, for example. So why replace last year's machine? Or even one that's two or three years old? "Woot! I upgraded from 2.9 GHz to 3.0! I can't believe I waited so long! In other words, Wired, don't assume that everyone feels the need to buy a new this or that every year for an incremental upgrade."

Smartphones are great, but they're not going to ever get close to killing the PC because they do very different things. Go into any business or college and everyone uses PCs to work on. That isn't going to change.

We've seen it all before with TV when the internet came along. No one will watch TV anymore, they said. Same with videos - no one will go to the cinema anymore, they said. Both were spectacularly wrong.

rcjordan · October 13, 2012, 12:08:18 PM

I think it is both. Maybe with an added dash of the rise of virtual machines. I'm maxxed out on hardware and have been for a couple of years now.

IrishWonder · October 13, 2012, 01:05:20 PM

Haven't used a desktop in ages, and what I use otherwise is a Mac not a PC. However even this may not be necessary to have around at all times as I even have access to all my servers/remote computers from my iPad

rcjordan · October 13, 2012, 02:15:19 PM

>not necessary

Right.

Add cloud. And ultra-cheap specialty hardware like the R Pi, magicjack, ooma, etc. Even ipcams are carrying their own servers on a chip now.

<added>

Add bluetooth 'bolt-on' accessories to the list

Brad · October 13, 2012, 04:52:11 PM

I used to always buy a desktop with enough horsepower to run MS Frontpage, and later Dreamweaver and Fireworks. Then I quit designing my own websites so the desktop got used to store music, iTunes movies, photos while shifting them around to 1st gen. Apple TV hard drives in the living room and den. Now 1TB USB drives are dirt cheap and the largish drive in the desktop is no longer needed.

Now the desktop sits largely unused, except to run an ancient printer, and everything is handled in the Cloud and controlled by my Linux laptop and my tablets, from the Ultimate Command Recliner.

When this desktop, an iMac, dies it will get replaced by either a Linux desktop or a large Linux laptop and the old Apple TV units will get scrapped.

I think in the household the migration is away from desktop units.

Chunkford · October 13, 2012, 10:08:05 PM

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Windows-8-PC-Interest-Microsoft,news-40533.html#xtor=RSS-980

Some would say the writings on the wall.

littleman · October 13, 2012, 11:17:56 PM

Maybe I'm getting old, but I need a desktop to work efficiently, I need the screen real estate, a proper keyboard, a mouse. I also need access to my scripts. I can do some things on a laptop, but its way slower. I am sure the average kid would be fine using a laptop, or even a tablet with one of those mini-keyboards to get their papers done and hang out on FB.

bill · October 14, 2012, 02:18:55 AM

Quote from: littleman on October 13, 2012, 11:17:56 PM
Maybe I'm getting old, but I need a desktop to work efficiently...

Ditto.
I'm on a dual screen workstation in the office all day, and have a similar setup at home. I need the screen real estate. When I have to use a laptop or a smaller single screen PC I feel hobbled.

The slowdown in the PC market is also attributed to people waiting for Windows 8 to be released. We will probably see a surge of new PC sales after November.

Rooftop · October 15, 2012, 08:56:11 AM

I use a laptop all day. However I have it docked at work so that I get a full sized keyboard, dual screen, proper mouse etc. However it's great to be able to push a button and leave with most of what I'm working on when I want.

keano · October 15, 2012, 08:59:10 AM

Quote from: Rooftop on October 15, 2012, 08:56:11 AM
I use a laptop all day. However I have it docked at work so that I get a full sized keyboard, dual screen, proper mouse etc. However it's great to be able to push a button and leave with most of what I'm working on when I want.

Exactly the same as me.

Rumbas · October 15, 2012, 02:53:14 PM

>Haven't used a desktop in ages,
>I use a laptop all day. However I have it docked at work so that I get a full sized keyboard, dual screen, proper mouse etc

Ditto. Threw my last desktop out a while ago.

edo · October 15, 2012, 05:54:15 PM

Without wanting to pick a fight (although I do like a constructive argument

) it's hardly Mao's cultural revolution that people are swapping their desktops for laptops. Desktops for smartphones, yes.

grnidone · October 15, 2012, 06:03:45 PM

Is it because kids aren't learning to type? Seriously. Supposedly, kids are taught "typing" (notice the double quotes) in primary school, but every kid I see says they know how to type and usually just hunts and pecks.

From what I can see, kids don't have the hard core old-school typing class with the blank keyboards and the blue haired lady saying 'f f f f f f now k k k k k ' and tapping her stick on the desk so you'd "type to the beat." If she caught you looking at the keyboard, she'd smack your desk and scare the hell out of you.

I hated that class. And I'm f###ing grateful I had to take it. Typing is hard-coded into my brain and if you asked me where any of the keys on the keyboard are, I couldnt' tell you, I could just type the word.

I don't know how anyone *could* teach a kid how to type at that age as their hands wouldn't be large enough to reach across the keyboard. If you use an ipad, you automatically hunt and peck because it's impossible to type on. It makes me wonder if they will ever learn how to type....since they were exposed to the "non keyboard keyboard" of an ipad when they were in pre-school.