To each their own. Like I said, I've built a PC, so it's not a completely uninformed opinion. I did not remotely enjoy the experience. I found it quite stressful. The comfort and convenience of getting a pre-built machine, assembled and tested by people who know the tech better than I do, and with solid warranty & tech support if something goes wrong; is worth the extra expense to me. Just like I'd rather take my car to the shop for things like oil & filter changes, instead of doing it in my garage like others enjoy to do. Different people, different priorities.

That feeling of uncertainty and stress is due to lack of experience and only will go away with more experience. I'm the same with some parts of my job. I HATE imaging Windows Servers because I'm always afraid something catastrophic will happen (even though I know the chances are small). Because I rarely get to image windows servers on server-grade hardware RAID, I still have that tension and stress.

Some posts have gone away. Let's not forget the Forum Rules, especially this bit:


Let's not forget a little bit of perspective before this goes too far down the elitist road. I know a fair amount about computers - enough that I feel comfortable enough to build one. But I don't know much about how a car runs, apart from changing the oil or the occasional tire. I also can't fly a plane, surf, or skin and cook an animal.

There's a finite amount of time in a day - no one can know everything about everything. Not everyone is a computer whiz, but that doesn't mean they don't know some things that you don't.

The PC is so much more than a tool.
I love my PC and I pretty much agree with everything Gabe Newell says about PC gaming.

For me, it's philosophical: I like the freedom of the pc. I like that I can go in and mess with my files, install whatever I want, and not have to deal with any of the "media gatekeepers" to get my content. If some kid out there wants to make a little game about some topic which microsoft doesn't want to be associated with, it's not going to be allowed on my xBox, but it will work on my computer.

Actually I can do all of this on my Playstation. I still like PC better though.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m14nSmF3WWE/TmkNOoe8DxI/AAAAAAAAB0U/TNcxoP4NBRw/s1600/Funny_wallpapers_hot_wallpaper_This_is_not_a_computer_it_is_my_wife_Epic_Wallpaper_Collection-s1680x1050-153534.jpg

On the more serious side some people may not realize that they spend most of their waking life interacting with a machine. I kind of like that thought though, and it's particularly true for me. If I didn't have school or work I'd spent 90% of every waking moment doing something on a computer.

So no, I don't think it's a tool. I also don't think it's a hobby, not for some; it's a way of life.

A medium sized heater.

Just a tool. More flexible tool than a console but I have about as much affection for my computer as I do for my electric toothbrush.

It's little more than a research tool for me.

I have a PS3 and the internet is very gimped....I wouldn't really say that a console internet ability is good. How do you create movies and music on your PS3? This I would really like to know.

Hell yes they're video games.

1. Install Linux on it

2. Do whatever you want, especially if you get a PS3-based cluster supercomputer going.

I don't build my own, but I can see how that could be cool.

I prefer pc games as opposed to console.

I think part of the "just another tool" thing comes from how computers have been so integrated into everything. I remember the early days - like when a school had one Apple II - and having a BASIC programming class in high school. Back then, it seemed like if you put in the study and effort, you could do a lot more with them than just have them sit on your desk while you look at the screen. I know you can do that now, too, but once computers really took off it seemed like the emphasis was more on "Hey, we're the computer company; we'll just make stuff and you play with it." Seems like there was a conscious effort to disempower the user. (One could argue that now just about anyone can make a smart phone app, but to me it's not the same.)

I play DCUO on the pc but thats only because it isn't out on xbox360. I prefer to game on that.

I still love PC's, but I'm not as into the tech side of things anymore. eg, I get lost now.

The main thing for me is that...well, at least so far, things like Photoshop/photo editing, serious video editing, word processing etc. doesn't work on a console, or a tablet, etc. And I don't like redundancy. If I'm going to spend $1000+ on a PC anyway, that can run all these applications that I want//need plus run all these games, why spend more on a console. I can easily hook a PC up to the TV (with a controller or a wireless KB/mouse) if I really want to lie on the couch while playing a game and get all the benefits of the PC on top of it.

And of course, the freedom & control of PC gaming in terms of patches, mods, game file tinkering, etc, as some have already said.

But I definitely understand that not everyone cares about/wants a PC for other application uses outside of, say, email, movies & web browsing. So for them, buying a cheap PC/laptop/tablet and a console may work out better.

Said Exactly what I was thinking

Exactly the same for me. I don't need a console or a tablet because I have a PC; therefore, I don't want a console or a tablet.

Thats not exactly fair. You're not suppose to do that and thats not the default console....in any case if you did that then you would just have a small crappy computer.

It was completely supported in the original batch of PS3s. There was an option to install "Other OS"

Erm, most certainly not. Various Universities and even the http://arstechnica.com/security/news/2009/11/sony-still-subsidizing-us-supercomputer-efforts.ars used them to form cluster Supercomputers... Definitely not a small crappy computer. A single PS3 running an optimized linux distro is probably more powerful than your average PC (though multimedia and 3D video playback is/was a problem since Sony didn't allow Other OS access to the GPU, only the CPU)

I do didn't know that. Still...if you did do that all you would have is a not very powerful computer.

No. You would have a quite powerful computer. the PS3's CPU is derived from a server-grade vector processor.

Yeah, but isn't the GPU like a 7800GTX or something? Thats ancient. And there isn't much RAM in this generations consoles.

I'm sorry, but you don't know what you're talking about. No offense meant, but a powerful PC != a gaming PC. The PS3 is a very powerful PC, but it wouldn't be a gaming PC. Also, memory isn't much needed for the processes being done since it isn't running anything memory-heavy. Like I said, it's much more powerful than your average desktop/laptop PC.

I don't really consider it a redundancy. The games and controls I play on my console are completely different than the ones I play on my PC. The software overlap between the two platforms is rather small.