Smartphones are now an unavoidable part of the world we live in. You probably own one yourself, and they're probably ruining your life. But even if you don't own one, you'll find yourself exposed to them on a daily basis. The question is, are smartphones good or bad for society? Welcome to this week's MakeUseOf Poll.
Which Windows?
To answer this week’s question please scroll down the page until you see the poll staring back at you. But first, we need to look at the results from last week, when we asked, “What Version of Windows Are You Using Right Now?”
Out of a total of 647 votes, 41.4% chose Windows 8/8.1, 36.6% chose Windows 7, 8.4% chose Windows 10, 6.2% chose Windows XP, 1.7% chose Windows Vista, 0% chose An Older Version Than XP, and 5.7% chose I Don't Use Windows.
So, the most popular version of Windows amongst our readers is Windows 8/8.1, with Windows 7 coming in a close second. It's rather exciting to see Windows 10 more popular than Windows XP, despite 10 not officially out yet. However, XP is still popular, but thankfully no one here uses a version of Windows older than that rather decrepit operating system.
Comment Of The Week
We received a lot of great comments, including those from Jamie McCutchen, Stuart, and averyvh. Comment Of The Week goes to Demo, who earns our admiration and affection forthis comment:
Windows 7 because its the only one that`s stable enough, not as buggy as hell and I can actually DO stuff on without the next update killing everything and making me install everything again. Windows 8 / 8.1 desktop is ok (ish) by design but buggy. And Metro is for touchscreen, – most business users don`t want or use it. The appstore is a joke btw theres NOTHING of use in there.
I actually have win 8.1 pro on two PC`s , 7 on another and vista on an old lappy & 7 is the one I use most. The ONLY reason I have 8.1 at all is because the PC`s are OEM and I didn`t get a choice, I`d swap them for 7 in a heartbeat. I`ve lost count of the times I`ve HAD to re-install 8/8.1 – it`s THAT bad.
We chose this comment because it's a reminder that Windows 8/8.1 is still far from perfect, which is why so many people are still using Windows 7. It looks like Windows 10 will successfully combine the best elements of both, which could make for a killer combination. Fingers crossed.
Are Smartphones Good or Bad for Society?
When a piece of technology becomes as ubiquitous as the smartphone, it's bound to have an impact on society as a whole. This device has changed the way we communicate with each other, record our lives for posterity, vent to the wider world, and plenty more besides.
Do you personally believe the smartphone is good or bad for society? Would we all be better off had this particular piece of technology had never been invented? Or has it, despite its downsides, done much more good than bad? Let us know by voting in the poll below.
Once you have voted in the poll above, please explain in the comments section below why you voted that way. Are smartphones improving our lives in many and varied ways? Are smartphones getting in the way of our ability to properly communicate? If you think they're a force for good, why? If you think they're a force for bad, why?
The more information you can provide with your comment, the more accurate our conclusions can be based on the results. The best Comment of the Week will win our everlasting admiration and affection. At least until we all meet back here again this time next week with a new question.
Image Credits: Michael Coghlan via Flickr