For as long as I have owned computers, I have only bought one operating system upgrade for my computer. It used to be a Vista operating system, but with hardware upgrades, I wanted something smoother and stable, so I bought Windows 7. However, for the majority of the time, I would only get operating system upgrades when I buy completely new computer systems. How about you? Do you normally stick with an old system and upgrade its O/S as it demands it or do you discard your old computer and just buy an entirely new system that has a better O/S?
I'm not really sure that I understood your question, but what I do for the most part when I upgrade my computer, I buy a new hardware, or a new computer for that matter without any installed OS and I just install OS from the old recovery media that came along with my previous computer. OS's are very expensive so I don't really spend so much as for upgrades, not unless the OS is outdated (like the XP)
I haven't purchased an upgrade in over a decade. I just simply wait it out until a new version of Windows is released then buy a new computer with it on it already. I hated buying upgrades in the past because when you needed to reformat your computer you had to install the older original copy of Windows first, then do a second installation with the upgrade disc. Plus during this whole process it was a pain in the but trying to hunt down all the necessary drivers for your system - especially back in the day when everything came on separate discs. I held off on upgrading to a Windows 8 machine though and bought my most recent computers just before Windows 7 was set to expire and be replaced.
It depends on the computers specs. Most older computers are not capable of running new operating systems smoothly. If the is the case i buy a new computer. However. If the computer that i already have. Has the right system specifications to run a new operating system correctly. I would elect to upgrade it. Most older system are never able to run newer operating systems though.
I've never done that. I cycle through a lot of operating systems and buying a new computer would just be a waste. For example my laptop came with Windows 7, and not to long after Windows 8 came out. I put W8 on my computer no problem, and it worked just fine. Also since I use Ubuntu, upgrades come out pretty often and they don't hurt the performance of my computer. Even some other laptops I have will work just find after an upgrade and I don't really see the point of buying a new one for at least another few years.
I have also only upgraded the operating system once and that was from Windows 7 to Windows 8. I found the process completely easy and simply, especially as I bought Windows 8 online and only needed to download it and install it. The only downside is that I don't think I can keep it if I buy a new machine which might not have been updated to Windows 8 yet.
I have never reformatted our pc, someone else does this, but I will also not immediately buy a new pc or upgrade my OS as soon as another one is released if I'm satisfied with it's performance. But if I'm experiencing bugs or if it's not compatible with the programs that I want, then I guess it's time to upgrade.
It depends solely on the hardware really. Some computers, specially the old ones, can't really handle current generation OS. Our old laptop which runs XP smoothly can't really carry on the task of running Windows 7 because it needs more hardware power, and that's basically when you upgrade. But there are a lot of factors to consider before upgrading since it's not that cheap, both OS and hardware.
I don't upgrade my operating system. I just wait until I buy a new computer. I still have two laptops with Windows XP. They can't handle a Windows 7 or 8 upgrade. I have never been one for buying a new upgrade when it's first released. I prefer to wait until all the bugs have been discovered.
Tinyfang, for purposes of economy, I recommend an upgrade based on your own current hardware. This means focusing on exact new requirements for hard drive, processor and memory, along with a good video card. One thing that can help you save a lot if you want the most out of your current computer is to use a free operating system that does not suffer from "planned obsolescence." Commercial operating systems usually are made with every intention of forcing users to upgrade to a more powerful computer due to the new graphical user interface, or new features that are "resource hungry". If you choose the route of squeezing the most out of your current hardware, I recommend you to go through distrowatch's web, particularly the section for "old computers." You will see how alive is the movement to extend the life of not-so-new PCs: Log In
I've never had to upgrade my OS. I used XP and still do. When I get myself another computer, an OS will already have been installed [I always buy used] and quite naturally I'll use it until I need to get myself a new computer. So, I've never had to buy a new operating system or upgrade the one I get when a buy a used computer.
I don't discard my old computer neither I upgrade. I use my OS as long as I find it still usable. I only change my OS when it's entirely not usable anymore. But it would take decade before it will. So I rarely upgrade or change a new computer. Usually when I would have to change the OS, I would also have to change the computer as its specs no longer support the OS that I will be upgrading my computer to. So I don't upgrade. I just buy a new computer!
I used to be a fan of upgrades - they seemed less pricy. However, after a few 'QUIRKS' linked to updates, I'd rather just purchase a whole new system. It's easier, faster and more reliable.
