Sunday, September 28th, 2014

	Why did you buy your computer?
	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are two types of people among computer users. People from the
first group buy computers, because they have something, that could
or should be done on a computer. Members of the second group just
buy a computer and then they try to find something to do with it. 
Right now hardware is so cheap, that the second group probably
represents the majority of all computer owners, which also 
determines, what kind of advice you get, when you ask something.

I always considered myself as member of the first group. That's why
I still use decade-old desktop and why notebook, I use most, has CPU
slower than average low-end smartphone. It's also why I haven't
bought a tablet computer - I simply didn't have any use for it.

As I mentioned last month, I downloaded 56 years of digitized
historical newspaper in DjVU format. Tablet could be a perfect 
device to read this stuff, so I decided to buy cheap second hand
first generation iPad, most likely the highest model with 64GB 
of flash storage, 3G modem and a GPS. For the same amount of money,
I could have a new low-end Android device, but my experience from
Android based smartphones is just horrible, so that's out of the
question.

But people warn me, that the original iPad is unsupported, stuck with
iOS 5.1, not updated anymore and no new apps work on system this old.
I have to ask: Why should that matter? I have something, that can be
done on a tablet. It can be done on iPad with iOS 5.1 (there are DjVU
viewers in the app store compatible with it). As a bonus I will get
synchronization with PowerPC machines, GPS and 3G connectivity. 

So why would I spend more money on newer iPad and then try to find
something to do with it, that I couldn't be done on the older one?