Wow, this thread has certainly overshot the OP, which is partly my fault. But thats ok, discussion has a way of evolving on their own. Ever talk with friends/family and wonder "How the hell did we get from topic A to topic F?"
Honestly, I don't follow the 32vs 64 bit deal. They cost the same,and 32bit has limitations that do not exist in 64bit. The ONLY possible reason to run with a 32bit system is if you have very specific soft/hardware that is not YET supported by a 64bit OS. But in the end, I agree, if your using = or < 4GB of RAM you'll be hard pressed to know the difference.
Skuzzy I certainly respect your veteran status on this board, it's obvious to me that you've aided countless users over a considerable amount of time, and I am not here to p*** in anyones pool as the new guy.
But understand that I'm a 28 yr old Tech. Engineer, and I've been working w/ and over colleagues that are, on average, 15-20 yrs my senior, my entire adult life.
People can discuss how many more years of experience they possess, work they've done etc. but in the end this is an empty argument from authority/antiquity if the position is not supported by the real and relevant data.
I only deal in fact, and logical premise. Rhetoric and hand-waving criticism, may impress most people,but have very little impact with me.
Your still promoting subjectivist implications (SSDs are unreliable and have unreasonably short life spans) that are not supported by any current data.
I argue that if modern SSDs cost the same as HDDs you'd see them in every new PC on the market, it would be a no brainer.
Things as they are, if you are not willing to pay 6 times the cost for 3-4 times the performance, then fiscally that makes perfect sense.
However, you still have to admit your sacrificing performance to save cost, and down playing the premium option isn't changing that.
e.g.
"I drive a Mustang, and I am not willing/able to invest the money necessary to purchase a Ferrari.
Therefore the Ferrari is an inferior vehicle, possessing many flaws that do not exist in my Mustang."
I know, car/PC analogies are generally terrible , but its the first thing that came to me and I don't have tons of time to think about this post.
BTW, I drive a Mitsubishi, not a Mustang. lol