It didn't used to be slow at first but now whenever I open bitcoin-qt it takes a long time for the wallet to open.
If you think its slow now, wait until they raise the max block size limit...
And start collecting money to buy some more memory, waiting for it.
Not sure what you're getting at. I have a 7 year old office computer and Bitcoin-qt runs fine. Blocksize could be 10mb and I'd still be fine. Most people have computers much newer than mine.
There is always going to be a technological limit. For instance, you can't run a full node on my first computer, an MS-DOS machine (later I installed Windows 2.1) with 640k ram and a 32MB hard drive. Monochrome monitor. I am being violated and censored! The evil NWO centralied Bitcoin core dev oligarchy has decided that I am unfit to use bitcoin and I can no longer run a Full Node on my 1988 box! BOYCOTTTTTTTTTtttttttt
I think you are underestimating the average amount of computing power.
We have a ways to go before that becomes a concern. Plus, there is a 0-trust lite client with a FULL-TIME developer working on it, crowdfunded with majority sponsorship by evoorhees. Don't get your panties all up in a bunch
you'll still be able to run a trust-free, validating node on your Windows XP machine from 2007 when blocksize is larger.
(Sorry if I inadvertently insulted you by implying that you were a Windows user.
)