Fulltime Web Publishers: what’s your ideal workstation PC?

I am not a full-timer, but it would be awfully nice to become one in the future. So, as with any trade, the tools of the trade are of great importance. I guess, the central tool in this business is your workstation PC. I’m getting ready to re-tool myself, and I’m looking for any suggestions by seasoned web publishing pros on this forum about what works best. You know, basic questions like laptop vs. desktop PC, Linux vs. Win XP etc. Does a multiple screen setup help? How many monitors, how many processors, memory, HD space? Any particular software (other than OS) that you found useful? Anything you feel like sharing about your workhorse PC would be great!

 

Eh...what does this have to do with Adsense?

 

Nothing

My preferred setup is what I have now
1 laptop
1 Desktop

Specs aren't too important, you can put together a cheap computer that is capable of running photoshop and other required programs.
I prefer Intel CPU's myself, although AMD do make some good ones now.

Hard disk space is cheap, so 200GB is ideal
Speakers are a must - need music to work.

Hmm what else.. I have a 17" monitor currently, but I'd go as big as 19". Any bigger and it feels too big.

As for OS - I dual boot Windows 2000 and XP.

 

Fine then

I've got:
Dual 2Ghz PowerMac G5
3.5GB RAM
500GB storage
Dual 17" Monitors
Logitech MX1000

Maybe a tad overkill for your average web publisher...but I'm not your average web publisher

 

Umm... Do you have suggestions on another program that can support you financially to become a fulltimer if you only have informational sites? I doubt it, which is why I originally posted it in AdSense.

 

p4 3Ghz dell desktop
1Gb memory
200Gb drive
win xp pro
2 monitors 1024X768 and 1280X1024
very nice speakers
60Gb network drive
dvd writer - for back ups

and
twin p2 360 dell powedge server
running debian woody
apache mysql, php (lamp)
10Gb hard drive
256Mb

and
dell inspiron 7500 laptop
p3 650
512Mb memory

networked house
8 way switch
network printers
broadband
voip phone

 

your own online advertising program advertisng things that people want - like accommodation.

 

I'm a fulltimer... my current setup is:

2 Dell 20.1" widescreen LCD 1680x1050 res monitors
1 19" LCD in the middle

Athlon64 X2 Dual Core 4400+
4GB Mushkin PC4000 Ram
DFI Lanparty UT SLI-DR Mobo
MSI 7800 GTX 256MB
2 x 74gb Raptor 10k Drives using RAID0
PCPower 510 Turbo Series PSU (650W max)
Dual DVD burners
CoolerMaster Stacker 810 Case

Like was said above... maybe overkill for a web publisher but I'm far from the average I would guess. I have to have a machine I can boot up halflife 2 on @ 1680x1050 w/ 4xAA and not miss a frame.

I also often use my laptop for coding on the road.
I've got a little sony v505 laptop thats around 4 lbs and a brand new Powerbook G4 15.2" w/ 1.5G DDR2 Ram, 1.67ghz version. Havn't yet found a use for my old 2.4Ghz p4 setup so for now its ~400gb are going for storage.

edit:
As for the OS you need to be ready for anything... more boot modes the better, WinXP, Longhorn/Vista beta, OSX (yes on the pc, OSx86)

 

For web publishing it doesn't have to be anything fancy. I've got a IBM thinkpad T22 laptop that ran me less than $700 bucks when I got it. I also have a old Desktop celeron 500mhz computer I use mostly for playing old PC games and as a backup in case my thinkpad goes down.

I still use windows 98 and 2000.

 

Haha, well that's a bit of a stretch...but okay.

 

Hey TiGG. Did not mean to pick on you, but you just made a statement that reminds me of an argument I have with my kid every other day. If not missing a frame while playing Half-Life2 is a part of your workstation specification, what industry you consider yourself to be a full-timer of?

Thanks for the list of parts, I'm also going to use Athlon Dual Core. Have you noticed any software incompatibilities yet? Talking about web designer/publisher's software like Dreamweaver, Photoshop and such.

 

Don't forget about a comfortable chair! That's a must when you're sitting on your ass all day in front of the computer.

Honestly, I would spend more time on my sites if I wasn't so damn sore by the afternoon from this stupid chair I stole from the kitchen.

 

Yeap, I second that! Was just reading a book on typing (which is what Web Publishers do most of the time) where they talk about ergonomics. The author says the chair absolutely has to have elbow support that's height adjustable as well as lower back support that actually touches your back when you type. Great many desk chairs are made way to deep, so your back only rests those few minutes that you lay back to catch your breath. Not good. When I got my chair few years back I thought "deep and cushy is comfortable". Now my back pays the price of my ignorance

 

I'm computer shopping too - this one is just about toast so far as I'm concerned. 4 years old, hard drive almost full and running slow.

I drive my husband nuts explaining to him about ergonomics. I used to work for the phone company, and every few months they'd have us go to ergonomics training. He can't stand having arm rests on the chair and it drives him nuts to have the keyboard as low as I keep telling him it needs to be.

 

Right now I'm almost at my perfect work station with:

Athlon 64 3200+
1 gig of ram
160 gig hdd on my pc (over a terabyte if you include my servers)
Radeon 9600 pro AIW (Dual monitor support and tv tuner)

one 19 inch monitor and one 15 inch.


My setup would be perfect for me if I could afford to replace my monitors with 3 19 inch LCDs.... maybe in a couple years

 

I kinda have the same specs as you.
Here is mine:

Coolermaster Stacker Case
AMD Athlon 64 Winchester 3200 Mhz
OCZ Dual Channel Platinum 2x512Mb DDR PC3200
MSI K8N Neo2
ATI Radeon9600 XT Ultimate
OCZ Powerstream 520 Watt
Western Digital Raptor 40.GB 10.000 Rpm S-ATA
Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 200.GB 7200 Rpm S-ATA
Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 200.GB 7200 Rpm S-ATA
Maxtor 200GB 7200 Rpm IDE
2x 17 inch crt monitors

Really happy with it but my dream pc is a Powermac G5 .

 

Seeing all of you running amd's is making me tempted to build an amd test setup. Haven't run an AMD in such a long time but the prices sure are tempting.

 

I use several different computers - couple PCs and a Powerbook. I've also tried the desktop Linux thing. Best thing I ever did was buy a Powerbook. It's almost completely trouble free which lets me get right down to the business of making money. Thats all that matters in my biz. It's been running flawlessly for over 2 years of heavy 16 hour a day use when my PCs have each been in the shop twice during the same period when they were only being used a fraction of the time.

 

I've also noticed everyone posted here uses an AMD processor! This is an interesting detail. I hope noone experiences any compatibility issues with AMD and graphic design software, right?