New PC

[ricky1]

Hi Arquebus
I found getting a good local computer specialist was my best option, although I didn't want such a high spec as you need. I tried retailers mentioning no names, and the prices they were quoting was out of my price range for the spec I needed. Like I said went to a good local specialist after asking other people around about their comps and where did they get them from. I saved myself nearly £300 doing it that way, and got the spec I wanted. Must admit the man I went to asked what I needed it for and told me what It would cost and gave me advice about the components he was going to install. When I went to pick the computer up, he even gave me the box's that all the components came in, with all the literature, and garruntees. I'm like you would never build one myself just in case it went wrong.

regards ricky

[Arquebus]

Ricky, me old mate, at least we are in agreement....what is interesting is that mine is a £100 more than the one you bought a few years ago and mine includes OEM XP Pro SP2 loaded with the updates, Office Basic and three (yes, three) 19" TFT monitors.

Admittedly one of the monitors is for the old PC.....the old CRT / conventional monitors appear to be a bit on the dangerous side.

Al

[Gadget]

Goodness, I go off for the day to the 'big' city and what happens 

The real question/answer is horses for courses. Arquebus and I both produce (he for his clients, me for commission and exhibition) very large graphic files. It's not just the final image size that  is important, it is the processing that is involved while producing the images. I can sometimes have as many as 10 - 20 large graphics files open while I'm creating an image - and many layers. A Pentium III with 256 Ram would just collapse in a heap.

I think ArQ's question was what was the best configuration for just this kind of work. It seems strange that anyone would suggest that he gets something with 256 Ram and says nothing about the video card 

There's no need for a poll. We'll use our biggies, others with less demanding needs can use their smaller spec PCs. Personally, I prefer Apples but somehow got trapped in the PC hole about 10 years ago 

I think Falkyrn gave the best advice on page one of this thread 

Horses for courses 

Gadget


PS - and I have said nothing about the monitor - very important and a graphics tablet and a printer for proofing

[Arquebus]

Well at least Gadget appears to comprehend the 'situation'....

When I first started using PCs and AutoCad, I had to use a tablet (Calcomp, I think it was)....largely because I had leaned to 'draft' the real way (with a pencil and pen on a drawing board....I needed a substitute for the board I guess)....

Now?..... it is just more clutter and more things to go wrong, so I use a Laser or Optical mouse and work from the screen and program menus.

I forgot to mention CAD.....when I am working with Graphics/Photo Editing packages, I also have to have CAD open at the same time.....virtually all my clients do their files in CAD.

Another reason why I am not down the MAC route.

Al.

[Gadget]

Well at least Gadget appears to comprehend the 'situation'....

I feel a bit like Lucy in the Peanuts cartoon - THe Doctor is in 

When I first started using PCs and AutoCad, I had to use a tablet (Calcomp, I think it was)....largely because I had leaned to 'draft' the real way (with a pencil and pen on a drawing board....I needed a substitute for the board I guess)....

Now?..... it is just more clutter and more things to go wrong, so I use a Laser or Optical mouse and work from the screen and program menus.

I just have a very large work area. I couldn't do without my graphics tablet. I'm left handed so the tablet is on the left and my mouse (which I've always used with my right hand) is on the right - ambidextrous working 

Gadget - coffee in the middle 

[Arquebus]

Sinistro Eh?......a la Jimi Hendrix....(nicht sprechen sie Deutsch)

I can do a paradiddle with my feet.....ambi-ped-something-strus.