Re: PC or Mac?

["Byron Q. Desnoyers Winmill" <byron@b60z27hbb464i.ab.hsia.telus.net>]

In article <a32uim$41n$1@merope.saaf.se>, Paul Schlyter wrote:
> But for how long?  Digital television is approaching, and here in
> Sweden the goal now is to close down the old analog television
> network around 2007

A couple of years ago they (being the cable providers) said that
analog cable service would be terminated in Canada later this
decade.  But the reception to digital TV appears to be cold.  My
guess is that too many people are spending their time online.  ;)
That may actually be a problem: if the cable companies cut off
analog service for more expensive digital services, consumers may
shift their entertainment time online.  The next five to ten years
are going to bring huge changes online, and most of it is going to
be directed towards entertainment.  Not only that, but people only
have so much money to go around.

> And the situation was similar during the switchover from AM to FM
> radio broadcasting

AM radio is used throughout Canada and, as far as I can tell, the
United States as well.

> Remember when the CD was introduced, and the switchover from vinyl
> records?

I was too young.  Nevertheless, vinyl and CDs have been around
much longer than the computers which most people use.  Heck, I
still have CDs from my 386 (pre-1992).

> And stereo radio could be heard on older monophonic radio receivers.

Older?  They still make monophonic radio receivers.

> If you add a file transfer protocol to your shell account, then you
> can transfer binary information as well through the shell account.  I
> do that from time to time.

True.  But where can you find a shell account these days?  (Short
of providing your own.)  I have one from my university, but that
won't last forever.  Short of that, the only reliable means for
access that I can see is a PPP stack and a telnet client, but even
telnet is being phased out.

Byron.