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I don't say that nobody ever has a need, I am merely stating what I feel is a fact that most of these netbooks are an indulgence to say the least.First off nobody needs, they want. Given your example, none really provides a need, merely a convenience at the most. Your girlfriend could easily just write notes on paper, Essays could be better written at a desk or study. And as for keeping in touch with you, that is a convenience not a necessity.

But let's be honest here folks, most of these netbooks are being bought buy tech geeks just eating up the latest fad gadget. Very few people need these, that is a fact. Like the iPhone or iPod, geek toys that provide a self-indulgence, but neither are anything close to being of real need. And I find the argument very weak when considering how light some notebooks have gotten these days, that lugging one around is that much of a pain. And that goes for 90% of people that claim a cell phone is a necessity, it is not, but rather a means for some to feel more important in life than they really are.

For most people any laptop is an indulgence. As is an mp3 player, xbox and any other gadget you care to mention.

In fact looking around my appartment I see nothing that I consider a necessity, even the computer I'm typing this on is something I can live without, as is my TV, all my books, my furniture and most the food in my fridge. For that matter I could probably live in an apartment half the size of this one so even this apartment is an indulgence. Any argument based on 'necessity' is stupid and flawed.


I can't speak for the rest of the world, but that certainly doesn't seem to be true from what I've seen. The vast majority of people I see using and buying netbooks are just normal folk who want a small and cheap laptop. In fact at the university where I live I see more netbooks among the humanities students than among the the science and engineering students.

I also know several people for whom a netbook is the first laptop they've owned. They've considered getting a latop before, but always found them to big and/or expensive.


True, and neither is a home internet connection. But I doubt most people here would be willing to give that up either.

So what you're really stating is your opinion?

Seriously, why do you come on a technology news site?
The whole point of technology is to provide a convenience over manual processes. So, given this is a technology news site, your argument is completely pointless.



Got any stats to back up that bold claim, or is it just a guess made up on your part to emphasise your earlier point?
The reason I'm asking you to back up your claim is because my own personal observations have seen more non-geeks netbook owners who were after ultra-portable devices than geeks after new toys.


You don't need an internet connection, yet you do have one.
You don't need to browse OSNews nor reply. Yet you did.
If you really beieved non-nessesity technology should be culled, then you wouldn't even be on here to make your point.


Self-indulgence drives technology.
If we stuck to the bare minimum of what we needed, then you wouldn't even have a computer let alone braudband internet connection to argue this perculiar point on.


But netbooks are still much lighter and more compact. Thus they are more convenient, thus they are more practical and thus it makes more sense for her to buy a netbook.
I really don't see why you don't get this point.


Are you a hippy by any chance?

Edited 2009-04-22 12:26 UTC

This is just a comment about cell phones. I'm not enamored of all the various things that can be done with them, but people should consider a basic cell phone a necessity - it is the greatest emergency tool ever invented.

Since probably 95% of people only do email and surf the web with a rare foré into writing a short document, the netbook is supremely well suited to their needs. Why lug around a 5-8 lb. item when a 2.5 lb. netbook does everything you need? By your logic, no one "needs" a laptop either. They can use a ball point or wait till they get home to work on a computer. Who needs to work on the train or bus...

By that reasoning, any computer or technological advancement could be considered an "indulgence."

Why purchase clothing, when some animal skins would protect you from the elements? Why buy decent cooking knives, when you could just prepare a meal using some sharpened rock?



Well, yeah - that's how most commerce works: you trade money for convenience.

t

Edited 2009-04-22 23:06 UTC