WHEN IS IT THE RIGHT TIME TO UPGRADE OS?

QUESTION

I dread every time I have to upgrade my operating system to a newer version because without fail something, somewhere is going to break. And with the release of the latest OS it looks like the time has arrived once again. Do you have any insights or words of wisdom when it comes to upgrading and how does one know that it's time?

ANSWER

That's a great question and it's one I hear all the time. The experience of upgrading to a new OS can fall anywhere between total agony and extreme pleasure. Over the years I've been at both ends and most places in between. The decision to upgrade should be based on many factors so let me enlighten you with the ones I've found to be the most important

My most recent upgrade path occurred on a Macintosh upgrading from OS 9 to OS X so I'll use that as my example although these guidelines also apply if you're considering the move from an earlier version of Windows to XP. In fact, the reasons to move to Apple's OS X are virtually identical to the ones to move to Windows XP. Both operating systems are considered to be modern in that they offer high degrees of stability via protected memory, and preemptive multitasking. That's a fancy way of saying malfunctioning applications may fail but the OS will continue to operate, and you can run several programs at once. But these desirable features come at a cost besides the money you'll spend to buy them.

Chances are your current applications may not work or won't be able to take full advantage of the new OS until their publishers come out with new versions specifically designed to operate in the new environment. And your hardware will most likely require new drivers before they too can function in the new OS. So you basically have to sit down and figure out what will and what won't work. After that determination is made, you need to establish what you can and cannot live without. As you begin your daily work routine, make notes of what applications and hardware you're using. Then begin to check and see if new products or upgrades are available. And don't rush things in your eagerness to make the move. You'll be amazed at all the little items you missed if you move into the new OS too quickly. As to my Macintosh example, I found myself working in OS 9 as I continued to collect OS X applications, drivers and newer hardware. As my OS X collection grew, I found myself running OS X more and OS 9 less but would still start the day in 9. It was only a week ago that the seesaw finally tipped towards the OS X side. I now start up in OS X and use 9 for the few remaining applications that I can't upgrade yet. Eventually I'll find replacements if their publishers don't make the move.

The longer you wait, the easier your migration will be due to increasing industry support. But don't wait too long since a newer OS or upgrade to it will eventually appear and you'll find yourself even further behind. Begin to collect everything you need and when you have enough so that you can comfortably do your daily work in the new OS, make the move. But keep a copy of the older OS on another hard drive or partition because I can almost guarantee you that you will discover something that will just refuse to work. And if new versions for those products aren't on the horizon for whatever reason, begin to search for different products that will accomplish those same tasks. Eventually, you'll no longer need your older OS and be able to put it to rest. Until the next one comes along.

Mouse leaves a lasting impression.

Need to print a label but don't want to buy or have room for one of those label printers? Well Casio has come out with a computer mouse that can literally put a label on anything you wish to identify. Their KP-C50 PC Tag Writer is a USB mouse with a built-in label printer. Now when you need to print out an email or web address, or even someone's name, just a click on the included software that instructs your mouse to eject a perfectly printed label strip. It even uses the fonts already installed on your computer. The label strip is self sticking and comes out from a small slot on the left side of the mouse. This is an ideal way to transcribe your computer's name and address book to a hard copy record. Labels come in a variety of colors including yellow and pink. You could say that this mouse boldly prints where no mouse has printed before. $69.95 - Windows only.