Software upgrade cycles irritating, expensive and other letters to the editors

Software upgrade cycles irritating, expensive

While reading about Microsoft Windows upgrades coming down the line (other companies do it, too), it occurred to me what the company is doing.

It is generating more income by building a product designed to be phased out before it is even introduced, so that when it rolls out the next so-called upgrade, it is forcing you to spend the money to upgrade.

This is kind of like going from Los Angeles to San Diego while the product is current. You take the I-5 south to get there, then when the "Needed Update' is applied, you are forced to head east on the I10 toward the Salton Sea and then south through Borrego Springs back roads all the way down to I-8 before being allowed to head back west to San Diego.

You can still get there but no longer is it simple.

Finally the frustrated user spends the money for what will become the next useless upgrade that is no better most of the time.

Cycle then repeats.

John Dunn

Beck, Gardenhire 'embarrassment'

As I reflect on the week's news, I am puzzled by the paper's decision-making on what is important. Three recent stories come to mind: Jim Catanzaro, Erlanger hospital bonuses and the County Commission getting legislative help to set their own salaries. Day after day, the paper crucified Mr. Catanzaro, arguably the best community college president in the state's history. You questioned the integrity of Erlanger's volunteer board daily. Their dedication and success, as Mr. Catanzaro's, is measurable and commendable. Mr. Beck, a county commissioner, asked the local legislative delegation to put the salary question in a bill, and the legislative crusader, Sen. Todd Gardenhire, drew up SB 707 as a courtesy. You, Mr. Gardenhire and Mr. Beck, are an embarrassment. Is this a great country or what?

Jimmy Campbell

Minimum wage for Tennessee?

Do you want Tennessee to have its own minimum wage law? Sign the petition. You must be a registered Tennessee voter. It will take more than a few thousand signatures to persuade the Legislature to allow the county election commissions to verify the petition and allow it to be on the ballot. The petition calls for a minimum wage of $9.10 an hour within six months of voter approval and $10.10 an hour within a year after that. It would also include annual cost- of-living increases. $10.10 in Tennessee is a nonpartisan campaign to allow low-wage working people to hold their head up in Tennessee, to pay their own way and no longer be dependent on taxpayer subsidies. It will bring prosperity to a state still mired in the Great Recession. Look for the $10.10 for Tennessee Petition in your county or find it on Facebook. Print a copy to sign and mail to your local $10.10 for Tennessee headquarters or email me at clarkdavid01@bellsouth.net.

David Clark, Tullahoma, Tenn.

'Extortion' also applies to Feds

Jack Pine's letter (Feb. 14) made me laugh when he criticized my branding the federal government "tyrannical." Where has he been? The current crushing of the 9th and 10th Articles to the Bill of Rights in Alabama is just one example of 50 years of judicial tyranny. The people of Alabama voted twice for a judge who stands for the state constitution, but the court disregards this to force the people with its iron hand. From the schools to the workplace, this force has beaten down resistance with no mercy. I should have added "extortion" to my prayer. Federal grants of extorted income tax are laced with mandates which violate every tenet of the Bill of Rights, to say nothing of the huge distortion of our rights with the forced insurance plan now being rammed down our throats. As for Social Security, how about asking this agency to refund all your funds, with interest, from the day you were forced into this fake insurance plan? God is not pleased with such extortion. He will repay. As head of the Tennessee Committee for the Bill of Rights, I challenge Mr. Pine to a public debate. My phone number is 423-775-0774.

June Griffin

Pipelines safest transport for oil

What great timing for Clay Bennett to post a cartoon on Tuesday attacking the Keystone pipeline for what he sees as very little reward for a lot of risk. In the A section of the same edition is an article on the derailment of a train with 100 cars full of crude oil. At least one car went into a river, 14 more caught fire, burning a nearby house. The crude oil this nation needs is going to travel from its source to a refinery by any transportation means necessary. It should be obvious, even to liberals, that pipelines are the safest means, but for some reason they just don't seem to get it.

Charles Megahee, Lookout Mountain

No more meddling in foreign wars

Korea. Vietnam. Afghanistan. Iraq. Is meddling in others' civil wars a good idea? A few of the results of the U.S. blundering into these frays: * Over 100,000 U.S. soldiers, dead or MIA. * Hundreds of thousands of veterans maimed for life. * Thousands of American military families devastated. * Millions of dead and crippled foreign citizens. * Four countries demolished. * Trillions of taxpayer dollars squandered. * Positive results? Nil. Now a new push to inject ourselves further into a Muslim civil war? No! Learn a lesson! Israel (armed to the teeth), Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and others who are in the region and directly involved are the ones who should deal with this -- not us. As for all the U.S politicians, pundits, rabble-rousers and chicken hawks yelling, "We must do something -- ready, fire, aim," and frothing at the mouth for America to jump in with boots on the ground, they themselves should enlist, don uniforms, shoulder their weapons and put their own boots on the ground.

Thomas Rogers, Dayton, Tenn.

Corker urged to reconsider bid

Sen. Bob Coker, I read with dismay in the Times Free Press that you would not be running for president in 2016. I also read with amusement in the TFP that a survey conducted by Middle Tennessee State University showed that 600 people believed that you should not run for president. Really? Well, don't be discouraged because I am confident that I could come up with 601 people in the legal community alone who believe you would make an excellent candidate for president of the United States. And if you change your mind and decide to run, we will make certain that your campaign picture depicts the gentleman you are. So, make my day, Bob Corker, and say it isn't so that you will not run for president in 2016 because this country needs a leader with the integrity, wisdom and insight that you possess.

Judith Silvey

New Walmart will help Middle Valley

I overwhelmingly support the idea of a new Walmart Neighborhood store at the intersection of Middle Valley Road and Thrasher Pike. This location seems ideal. I have been a long-time resident of Hixson and currently live within 1.5 miles from the proposed site. My business is in Hixson. I financially have no gain from the building of this store. Over the years, I have seen a decline in the Middle Valley area. Property values have not kept up with other areas in town. The significant investment developers are making in this site will bring energy and a new vigor. They obviously believe in our area so shouldn't we? Walmart puts tremendous effort in designing stores to blend in with the area. The fastest way to a decline in our area is for us to deny positive growth. I love my community and have invested in it personally and professionally. Let's get our area moving again!

Jay Simpson, Hixson

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