If your computer monitor -- and by the way, you're already mildly suspect for having a separate computer monitor -- takes up a foot or more of desk space behind its square screen, it's time to get a new computer. Now it's true that there may never be displays as cool-sounding as those old CRT monitors -- ray tubes! electron guns! -- but no one misses their square, flickering screens or the smell of lint cooking inside them. Careful lifting it up, though. Those things weigh a ton.
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10 signs that it’s time to upgrade your computer

If your computer monitor -- and by the way, you're already mildly suspect for having a separate computer monitor -- takes up a foot or more of desk space behind its square screen, it's time to get a new computer. Now it's true that there may never be displays as cool-sounding as those old CRT monitors -- ray tubes! electron guns! -- but no one misses their square, flickering screens or the smell of lint cooking inside them. Careful lifting it up, though. Those things weigh a ton.

If your computer monitor -- and by the way, you’re already mildly suspect for having a separate computer monitor -- takes up a foot or more of desk space behind its square screen, it’s time to get a new computer. Now it’s true that there may never be displays as cool-sounding as those old CRT monitors -- ray tubes! electron guns! -- but no one misses their square, flickering screens or the smell of lint cooking inside them. Careful lifting it up, though. Those things weigh a ton. (Scott Harrison / Los Angeles Times)

And it uses a telephone landline to connect to the Internet and makes a sound like a cat falling into a blender. Yes, it's very impressive that you've upgraded to 28.8 kbps -- that's 28,800 bytes of data every second. You can download one of those mp3 music files in only 15 minutes! And if you're willing to wait a little longer, you might be able to watch a whole movie trailer. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be watching Netflix and are afraid to tell you that "Friends" is off the air.

And it uses a telephone landline to connect to the Internet and makes a sound like a cat falling into a blender. Yes, it’s very impressive that you’ve upgraded to 28.8 kbps -- that’s 28,800 bytes of data every second. You can download one of those mp3 music files in only 15 minutes! And if you’re willing to wait a little longer, you might be able to watch a whole movie trailer. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be watching Netflix and are afraid to tell you that “Friends” is off the air. (Joe Pugliese / Los Angeles Times)

If your computer doesn't know it can connect to the Internet without wires, it's -- well, maybe it's a little behind the times. It's still spry. It opens Web pages just fine. It processes words. It just needs a little help is all. A little extra time to do things. There's no need to put it down, just because it's a little old. It's still a Good Computer. Ain't cha, boy? Ain't cha? (Note: This was written on a computer without Wi-Fi.)

If your computer doesn’t know it can connect to the Internet without wires, it’s -- well, maybe it’s a little behind the times. It’s still spry. It opens Web pages just fine. It processes words. It just needs a little help is all. A little extra time to do things. There’s no need to put it down, just because it’s a little old. It’s still a Good Computer. Ain’t cha, boy? Ain’t cha? (Note: This was written on a computer without Wi-Fi.) (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

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