Old guys

Why is that old guys have all the coolest cars and in the case of the ones I know, all of the greatest tech?  Probably everyone has seen the stereotype of some sixty-odd year old man driving the latest all wheel drive, twin turbo Porsche convertible…usually in the high speed lane, but only going 65 MPH.  I have run into the same stereotype in my real life twice in the last few days.
The first was a call I got from my Uncle who wanted me to help him pick out a new PC.  His old one that I had built for him about 4 years ago was not compatible with some new stock trading software that he wanted to use.  I spec’d out a few different systems for him, including one that I have been thinking of building for myself.  It was the most  expensive of the 3 I proposed, but it included things like the newest quad core processor from Intel and the option to go SLI with a second 8800 GTS card sometime down the road.  That’s the one he wants…to trade stocks online!!
The second case happened to me yesterday when my neighbor (the one I bought my house from) asked me to come over and setup a new PC he had just bought.  I had some free time so I headed over.  When I got there he told me his old machine was just too slow running his applications and he was always waiting for it to do something before he could type.  His new machine: a Dell XPS 420 with the same quad core chip in the system my uncle wants me to build for him.  His application that he needs this monster machine to run: Quicken (he had version 2000 but may buy a new version since the old one he has can only be installed from 3.5″ floppies).
I have been using the same machine at home for almost 6 years.  Sure, I have added some more RAM, gone through a few small processor upgrades and added more storage.  But it is basically the same box. Other than video editing and a few of the newer games (Crysis at 12 FPS anyone?) it does everything that I want it to.   I could always use more computing horsepower, but for the past 6 years, I haven’t really felt enough pain to spring for a new box (completely different story at work where I have been through 4 laptops in that same 6 years – laptops still continue to get lighter and more powerful…and it’s not my money).
So as much as pundits say we have reached the point where the current set of desktops are more than most users need, as long there are old guys with more money than sense there will alway be a market for fast PCs (and cars).