> 1999
>640 x 480 area of the screen, which was a common monitor size back then

Bah. Kids.

This size was common in 1994 maybe.

1024*768 was pretty much the standard in 1999. Though a lot of idiots may have ran at 800*600 no one ran at 640 * 480 unless they were still running windows 3.0!

Blame MS.

The sane option for windows from vista on would have been to deny users the choice and install a 64bit os if the hardware supports it.

Personally I have run 64 bit since xp, although you can only call that a test, vista 64 was ready for all.

Yes I know, the 1 in 16384 people that insist on having some old POC device. Well they can keep an old machine around for it if it is that important.

Nt major versions 3.1, 3.5, 4.0, 2000, XP, vista, 7.

7 is release 7.

Simple if you ain't a dumb kid.

Serious Answer/Question - Who cares as long as it's tasty.

But more specificly. Yes / No.

So what you are esentially saying is.

Shits complex.

It really pisses me off that a lot off people do not get this. I know the human mind likes to break things down into nice boxes. But without realising there are no nice boxes this does not help.

> Back in the 90's I worked as an artist on a game for the original Atari in Milpitas, they folded over a decade ago.

Well you pass on the maths.

However the original Atari are surely Atari Inc. They ceased to be in 1984.

Woooooosh.

> I'm likely one of the few people here without a smartphone - is it worth it yet?

It was 10 years ago. How many devices do you want to lug around?

> It's an extra $20 something a month for the data plan, and right now I have a waterproof shockproof phone to mitigate the risk of shelling out a few hundred if my phone breaks.

Sucks to be you then. I am paying less now I have a smartphone. Note I never ring people or text anymore so that part of the plan is low.

> Am I really missing out?

Only if such things matter to you.

ANd would you still do that if (as in this case) you had a link on thier advertising your shit?

> They didn't do anything first much less innovative enough

Is this what you really think the modern patent system is about?