What proportion of computers sold in the last year ran Windows 98? Ok, the market for selling Win98 computers is dead, then, we agree? So what remains is the

What proportion of computers sold in the last year ran Windows 98? Ok, the market for selling Win98 computers is dead, then, we agree? So what remains is the leftovers of the people who already bought those computers. But no one will buy a new one. So, going back to the iPad... people who are saying something like the iPad will kill, say, the personal computer industry (like Charles Stross) aren't arguing that everyone's PCs will suddenly vanish in a puff of smoke. No one would be stupid enough to argue that. What they're arguing is that the iPad and devices like it will transform the landscape of devices sold. Right now, probably 0.01% of computer-like devices are "tablet computers" and 99.99% are "PCs" (i.e. netbooks, desktops, macbooks, etc). What people who predict the "death" of those computers are predicting is a reversal of that sales situation - i.e. a not-so-distant future where 99+% of "computers" sold are tablets, and only a negligible percentage are traditional computers. Sure, there'll still be people using Win98 even then, but who cares? Anyone who spends any money on computer-like equipment will have moved on to spending their money on something else (both hardware and software).