I've got a major question...

[Robert Huff]

Olivier writes:

>  The very few times I need to launch Word, it is a version of 2003,
>  bought in 2003, never paid anything since.

	I have heard it said 95+% of the people composing a text document
only use abilities present in Word for Windows 2.0.

>  What puzzle me even more is people accepting to buy their cars through
>  leasing: you pay every month, for 3 years, and at the end of the 3 years
>  period, you have... nothing. While it may make sense for a business (fix
>  cost every month, if the business stop its business, it has no car
>  left, but a dead business needs no car), it makes no sense for
>  individuals.

	Aesthetically, some people like driving a late-model car and are
willing to pay for the satisfaction.
	Operationally ... it is my understanding that - especially as one
goes further up-scale - the lease includes a care package.  The more
miles put on the car, the greater the value of free dealer-provided
routine maintenance.  There may be other reasons, which are left as an
exercise for the reader. 

>  And it makes even less sens for something like software that will
>  not stop working or loose its functionalities with time.

	That depends on the software.
	If your program is _entirely_ stand-alone, then you're correct.
	But if it depends on programs not under your control ... and
they're getting upgraded ... then it can "lose" functionality.
	Example: Novell, or better yet Banyan, networking.

	For some, leasing is a bad deal and they should buy/find a free
alternative.
	But if leasing were that bad, it wouldn't be a growing market.
(Plenty of stupid out there; plenty of not-stupid too.)


			Respectfully,


				Robert Huff