- Joined
- Jan 28, 2005
- Location
- Cornwall
Why is it that having the latest hardware/software comes with a premium price tag? I expect the popular answers, "thats the cost of the research to produce 'insert hardware here' ", "you want the newest hardware, you pay the highest price" etc etc.
But why should it.
For instance - I believe the g-card market has gone mad, a few years ago you had many manufacturers to choose from, er-go keeping competition high and prices low, now you basically have two companies to choose from, the big N and the Big A. They seem to have the monopoly on everything, well half each of everything. What happened to healthy competition, why not take the "lower price/sell lots" attitude rather than the "high price/sell few" and that goes for all hardware. I know that over time everything becomes cheaper - CDRW drives for example, not many people use them much anymore but, you can pick them up for a £12 and thats a Sony, a DVD-RW dual/double layer + lightscribe can be had for £30. But, see how long it has taken for them to become that cheap.
Looking at software, you have the long established windows, that has earned Bill Gates, a hell of a lot of money. I don't know how much his personal fortune is but how about lowering the cost of the software? You have linux, for example it costs nothing, (if it does it is only to cover the media it is on and the literature), is a collaborative works and many distros can rival the big M, even SUN Solaris is free, which I was surprised to find, and those that have used it know of its benefits and uses.
I live in country where the Gov' screws most of your wages out of you before you even get them, and then screws more of it out of you with everything you buy, so unless you earn a mint you are unable to go for 'the best' or 'the newest' hardware, don't get me wrong I'm not having a pop at the country/social/government system in which I live, I'm having a gripe at the cost of enjoying one of my hobbies. I think everyone should have a fair crack at all available options, maybe many more of us will/would come out on top. With the right tools, anything can be accomplished. Tell me your thoughts?
But why should it.
For instance - I believe the g-card market has gone mad, a few years ago you had many manufacturers to choose from, er-go keeping competition high and prices low, now you basically have two companies to choose from, the big N and the Big A. They seem to have the monopoly on everything, well half each of everything. What happened to healthy competition, why not take the "lower price/sell lots" attitude rather than the "high price/sell few" and that goes for all hardware. I know that over time everything becomes cheaper - CDRW drives for example, not many people use them much anymore but, you can pick them up for a £12 and thats a Sony, a DVD-RW dual/double layer + lightscribe can be had for £30. But, see how long it has taken for them to become that cheap.
Looking at software, you have the long established windows, that has earned Bill Gates, a hell of a lot of money. I don't know how much his personal fortune is but how about lowering the cost of the software? You have linux, for example it costs nothing, (if it does it is only to cover the media it is on and the literature), is a collaborative works and many distros can rival the big M, even SUN Solaris is free, which I was surprised to find, and those that have used it know of its benefits and uses.
I live in country where the Gov' screws most of your wages out of you before you even get them, and then screws more of it out of you with everything you buy, so unless you earn a mint you are unable to go for 'the best' or 'the newest' hardware, don't get me wrong I'm not having a pop at the country/social/government system in which I live, I'm having a gripe at the cost of enjoying one of my hobbies. I think everyone should have a fair crack at all available options, maybe many more of us will/would come out on top. With the right tools, anything can be accomplished. Tell me your thoughts?
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