What is a typical computer’s lifespan?

A computer’s lifespan is made up of four steps

1. Purchase a new computer
2. Set up the new computer
3. Maintain the computer
4. Out of frustration purchase another new computer!

Our goal is to make step 3 last as long as possible. However, there are several reasons why this is easy to say but hard to do.

• According to Moore's law, technological improvements are occurring at a rapid pace.

The observation made in 1965 by Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, is that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since the integrated circuit was invented. Moore predicted that this trend would continue for the foreseeable future. In subsequent years, the pace slowed down a bit, but data density has doubled approximately every 18 months, and this is the current definition of Moore's Law, which Moore himself has blessed. Most experts, including Moore himself, expect Moore's Law to hold for at least another two decades

• New software is always written for the latest technology
• We are inundated with ads showing us only the latest technology
• Who doesn't want that latest thing?