I don't claim to be a "techie," but I thought I would say a few words about upgrading software programs. If you use software, such as Microsoft Office, on a regular basis, how often should you upgrade to a newer version? That depends on several factors, such as support (is your current version still supported by the software company?), features, and compatibility with other software programs on your computer.

I recently upgraded my version of Office XP to Office 2003. However, it took me a long time to make the decision to upgrade. The XP version had all of the features I thought I needed. The programs - Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, all seemed to be working fine, and XP was still supported by Microsoft. Well, being a business person in an administrative profession, I need to constantly update my software skills, and that includes working with various office software applications. As I came across online training classes for Word, Excel, etc., I started to realize that classes in XP applications were no longer being offered. That is really what cinched it for me. Since upgrading, I've also come to like certain features in each of the programs. I'm also learning Publisher, which came with the upgraded version, and may help me with desktop publishing projects for my clients.

The bottom line is that as long as your current software programs offer you everything you need, there is no reason to upgrade to a newer version unless you simply want to. It's really a subjective, individual preference. That is my take on upgrading software!