I would point out, by comparison, that piston engines are effectively obsolete for certain applications. Most aircraft operate on some type of jet engine, which involves the same core concepts of thermodynamics and aeronautics, but are still fundamentally different. They also optimize for different criteria, which is why neither jet engines nor piston engines hold a monopoly on any class of vehicle.
This is really stretching the computer metaphor. I think my point is that there will be room for rethinking paradigms as our applications of computers grow to include things that weren’t originally planned for. But in a mature technology there’s a lot of established precedent, and that’s not easily overcome. It takes something that can improve the field like jet engines made new aircraft possible.
This is at the discretion of your local vendors. Some places in my area stopped selling them altogether rather than raise the price. I think Arizona had to take the 99¢ branding off the can because it doesn’t work in a lot of markets. Places in my area will have them as cheap as 79¢ but it’s obviously a loss leader.
As an arch user and a German heavy main, this actually feels fair. Both are capable machines but neither are going to maintain themselves, both come with an entire manual you’re expected to read, and nobody will be sympathetic to you if you don’t know the basics of what you’re doing (rotate the steel box for fucks sake).
No way we’re downloading the same repacks, it’s rare to see anything as small as fitgirl’s releases in my experience. Your CPU had better be ready to step up to the plate though.