In the days of old people would keep computers as long as 5 years or longer. However these days a new computer barely gets past 3 years before needing replacement - or so it seems.You can easily get 5 years out of a computer if you buy it correctly the first time.In fact, you most likely already own a computer that you can get a few more years out of.[hidepost=1]

Three facts about Windows

You're probably using Windows. And there's nothing wrong with that. However the way in which the "life" of a Windows release is conducted is nothing short of ridiculous.Here's why:1. Every new version of Windows ever released is made for computers that either don't exist or are far too expensive to buy new.Microsoft has made a a time-honored "tradition" of sorts ever since Windows 95 to release versions of the Windows  operating system that when new, only work properly on super-fast (at the time) and super-expensive (at the time) computers.2. When PCs get to the point where they run a current Windows OS version as it was originally intended to run, Microsoft always releases a new version.This is a huge reason some people hate Microsoft so much. When PCs were fast enough to run Windows 95, Windows 98 was released. When PCs caught up with 98, XP was released. When PCs caught up with XP, Vista was released.Each of these instances required more speed, more RAM, more hard drive space - more everything.It makes computer users quite upset - yours truly included.3. Every single new release of Microsoft Windows takes at least 2 years for the industry to get "used to" it. While it's true Windows is the king of backwards compatibility (that's a plus by the way - it works with lots of older hardware), anything new introduced into the OS takes a couple years before computer accessory manufacturers catch up to it. And when I say "catch up" I mean having drivers written, routines programmed and so on.The end result is a cyclical process. Every 3 years your computer gets so obsolete that you literally have to throw it out for a new one that will run the latest Windows OS just to run apps. This is extremely frustrating.However - you can lengthen this process to 5 years if you shop smart with your hardware and perform routine software maintenance.Up next, we'll talk about the PC itself, concentrating on getting a box that allows for the longest period of time before you need to buy another one.Stay tuned.[/hidepost]