The manufacturers of computers, cameras, printers and scanners all are driven by the expansion of technology. What is launched today can be guaranteed to be supplanted by a new model in six months’ time.
More memory, faster processing, bigger screen, impose on the purchaser the next requirement of upgrading software and peripherals. Yet, for most us, the increased memory is fine, the faster internet is better, but our utilisation of the software is about 20 per cent or less of its capability.
In some cases, particularly with printers, I have the strong suspicion the manufacturer is driven by the ink maker. I bought a printer/scanner some time ago and was rewarded with a complimentary printer/scanner as well. In both cases the ink cartridges lasted about a month with home use, and the replacements cost more than the printer I paid for. They worked, and it was quite useful to install one in the house for occasional copying of papers.
But economics have driven both those units to the E-day collection. I continue to use my laser printer (which also came with a fortnight’s supply of toner) and it is cheaper to do my copying down at Warehouse Stationery where the cost is about what I pay for my printer paper on sale day.
Yesterday we shopped for some garden hose fittings at Mega Mitre 10. Christmas is coming and while Kay paid for the goods at the counter I wandered around the great, cavernous building, looking at what I did not need. There is a great display of barbecues that do everything from roasting chickens to baking pizzas. Some actually are designed to broil and grill. All are designed to impress the guests.
What impressed me most was the range of prices — about half what I paid 20 years ago for a three-burner barbecue I used about a dozen times.
I came to the conclusion the barbecue industry has taken a leaf from the electronics industry book and has joined forces with the meat industry.
It will soon be cheaper to buy the barbecue than the lamb chops for a family gathering! I am waiting for the Mad Butcher to realise this.
I’m trying to figure out what will happen when the mad butcher comes to that realisation…