$ 3,000 four years ago is now surpassed by technology that did n't even exist -- for any price then -- for a comparable pittance . We 're conditioned to kowtow to the expectations of obsolescence . Why settle for less , manufacturers will ask coyly , when we could have so much more -- interest-free for six months if we just sign up today ? I 'm here to tell you that even if you do n't have the riches to get your dream setup today , you do n't have to settle for less than what yesterday 's perfect computer can offer . Here 's a list of things that could help keep you and your machine playing nicely together for a while until you can save up enough pennies for tomorrow 's offerings . It may be your software that 's slow -- not your computer . Check for driver and version updates either at your computer manufacturer 's Web site or through the list of software you use frequently ; see if new drivers or versions are available . If you 've been using the same programs for a year or two , it 's likely
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No budget for a new computer in this recession ? It 's a common malady these days . A self-admitted tech geek , Chris Pirillo is president of Lockergnome.com , a blogging network . But this does n't mean you have to suffer along with substandard performance from your system just because it 's got more dust on its cover and less hard drive space than that shiny floor model you 've been drooling over at the local Fry 's . Will an '09 Ford Escort outpace a '67 Mustang in a drag race ? If the Mustang 's been neglected and allowed to rust away in the back yard for the past decade , then ... probably . If it 's been babied and protected from the elements , then it 's not even a fair contest . Like any machine , a well-maintained car or computer will surprise you , no matter its age . In our modern consumer culture , it 's not surprising that many people are under the impression that newer always means better . Yesterday 's top-shelf computer is as disposable as a Taco Bell spork , and what cost