While I wish I could agree (and being from the demoscene, pushing hardware to the breaking point is just what we do), there comes a time when you really do need

While I wish I could agree (and being from the demoscene, pushing hardware to the breaking point is just what we do), there comes a time when you really do need a new machine. Many iterations of home computers (VIC-20 to C64 to C128 and so on) were mostly including what was once an expansion card or device as a stock feature. enough iterations and you'll have something nowhere close to the original. Of course it's technically the same computer, but no average Joe could tell unless you pointed it out. Apple ][ evolved into the ][GS, which was so far away from the original computer it might as well been called something else entirely. This iterative evolution continues to this day on PC with the existence of Bluetooth being on motherboards now instead of being a PCI card or USB dongle you would install. And there is a great example of going too far in the console gaming space: the Sega MD at the end of its lifespan, with the 32X and CD modules, was a hulking beast with a tangled mess of cables and power cords. I love making old hardware do new tricks, but I sure as hell wouldn't use it to watch YouTube or debug software on. Not even 'sceners do that.