Do we really need to upgrade to version now plus one?

Recently, I was using Dreamweaver to develop a site and wondered if there was a newer version from Adobe on the horizon. A quick browse of Adobe.com revealed that there was in fact an entire suite of applications out, the CS3 family. Part of which was Dreamweaver CS3. A Google search for prices returned the usual bunch of sites. Then I stopped and wondered if I actually needed to upgrade, do I? I have been working fine up until visiting Adobe’s site. I keep up to date with development languages and techniques through my usual sites, so surely all I really use Dreamweaver for is as an editor. That’s when the realisation hit me. I spent a lot of money on a copy of Dreamweaver with its vast array of features to only use it as a simple bloomin’ editor. What about Dreamweaver templates? Don’t do them. If I don’t do Dreamweaver templates, and all coding is done by hand. Then what the bloomin’ eck did I spend my money on? A BIG POSH VERSION OF NOTEPAD!

Where else has my money disappeared into? Editing word documents, I have a copy of Office XP. Frig knows what version we are at now, but all I use is centering, bold, italics and layouts using tables. Maybe the odd image or two so I cannot see any reason to upgrade. So why do we upgrade? I have many friends and colleagues who continuously upgrade to the latest versions but when asked why their responses are along the lines of “the latest standards and the upgrade in coding wizards such as CSS are essential”, but they hand code…

Books, hundreds of pounds have been spent on books. It is quicker to find information using a search engine than it is to find it in a book. Oreilly, Adobe Coldfusion MX, Wiley, the list is endless. Whilst sitting here typing this I had to look at the bookshelf, Why? because I could not remember what I had bought. Some are so pristine that I cannot actually remember if they had ever been opened. Do we need to buy books ever again? Having quickly totaled up how much was spent, this is something I plan to find out.

Is it possible to survive on older versions of software and the internet alone?

I believe it is, rarely have I thought to open a book to do any research. The internet has always been a vital source of answers through forums, newsgroups and blogs.

Software itself only needs upgrading if there is a legitimate reason for it. Does it prevent you from completing a piece of work to the point that you have to stop working on it? Probably not.

What about the cheaper alternatives?

This is an avenue I plan to go down. MS Office can be replaced with Open Office. Dreamweaver with the many other editors such as PHP Designer 2007 and Rapid CSS (currently trialing both). There is this tendency to lump for the big brands such as Microsoft and Adobe without ever investigating alternatives. Yet, a quick Google search reveals many alternatives for a fraction of the cost which in fact often far superior.