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Personalized Services for Individuals and Small Businesses |
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Personalized Services for Individuals and Small Businesses |
Is the Latest the Greatest?Make sure you need that upgrade before you buy it. In our quest to obtain the latest version of our favorite software program, we may be doing ourselves a disservice. Computer technology has been evolving at a lightning fast rate. Hardware and software that was innovative just six months ago can already be outmoded today. But six months from now, will we be willing to pay for yet another upgrade? Before purchasing an upgraded version of your current software, try to "test drive" it at your local computer store. An alternative solution is provided by many software manufacturers who allow free trial periods. Check the Internet and computer magazines for reviews of the latest software. We must also be wary of the potential profit motive of certain upgrades. Just because a program has a new look and a name with the current year in it doesn't mean that it's a worthy upgrade. Consider what you need in an upgrade, and see if it's available. Are the new features really something that you will use? One possible drawback of getting a new version of a software title can be that the bugs have not been worked out. MicroSoft is notorious for releasing software in this condition. Fixes or "patches" are released after the product hits the market, and can be downloaded from the Internet at no extra charge. But a later release of the same version should have these fixes included. For example, Windows98 had thousands of minor glitches in it, but Windows98 SE ("Second Edition") had all the fixes in place. Another consideration is learning curve. Some upgrades are so different from their former versions that it takes some time to get back up to your normal level of productivity. The upgrade form MS Word 95 to Word 98 included the shifting of many dropdown menu items to different menus. The result for many users was a lot of wasted time trying to accomplish the same old tasks. Many upgrades require recent model computers. For users who want to get more use out of their older computers before bearing the expense of newer machines, older versions of software are their only choice. For this reason, many software companies continue to make their older products available, sometimes at discounted rates. One advantage to staying with older versions of software is that user groups may grow around them. These groups form a great support system, swapping information about how to get the most out of your current programs. These groups can be found by searching the Internet.
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