using portables as sole work station any advice ??

[OddDog]

i am now using a portable as my sole work station. it is connected to the lan were there are 2 pc atx work boxes.

anyone else use a portable as sole work horse ??
any practical advice greatly recieved !!

[gweedo]

Have been working exclusively on laptop for a year now.
A few suggestions:

1. Backing up your computer (and current working files) is even more important, as there is a greater risk of theft, physical damage, and overall downtime.

2. To maximize your viewable work area, increase your screen resolution. LCD screens, though smaller, are easier to read at higher resolutions than CRTs and working with Flash, you need all the real estate you can get. NOTE: Colors appear more saturated on CRT than on an LCD. So, be sure to check your color schemes on both.

3. If it works, don't fix it. Software "fixes" and updates are notorious for crashing any system, laptops seemingly more so (hardware incompatibility?). If you do decide to upgrade, or add software, do it between projects (and after back-ups).

good luck!

Craig.

[Jessica Rabbit]

I too work solely on a laptop, Sony Vaio most of the time and an ibook occasionally.

Ditto to backing up your files, all mine are on a server. I actually much prefer it, you do seem to have alot more work space, and designing for 800x600 res is much easier using res 1024x768 and over.

I do alot of presentations for work which are always run from a laptop so it is good to design them on a laptop to make sure your colours are the shade you want them to be.

Laptop keyboards are buggers though so I have mine plugged into a normal keyboard and monitor all the time, that way it is easy to check what things will look like on both screens.

[enemem]

hi,

I agree with all the previous advice - and I would say that for actual design work (Photoshop, etc) an LCD isn't a long-term workable solution.

Something else to consider - posture! We are all ruining our backs and more with all those long computing hours anyway but laptops are much worse than normal workstations. Most importantly the screen is much too low. So if you find yourself hunched over your laptop for hours, rethink!

I would say that Jessica's solution is the best: get a docking station of some kind, hook up a normal monitor/keyboard/mouse when you are at your desk and just unplug when you need to lug the thing around for a presentation or similar.

- n.

[snuifkip.com]

doing it // perfect / + external screen //
always my complete hd with me ...
the back up issue is indeed important

s.

[OddDog]

great advice guys and gals, so thank you all.

yes i can see the need to do back ups, and the thought of lossing the portable gives me the chills.

will also hook up to a 17`` screen, after i go and collect it from the mother in laws weekend house. and i am already tired of the keyboard and mouse, so will probable go for some with out cables kit.

on the comment that lcd´s are not an option for design. yes i agree, but most screens are not. i am still hesitating from spending the 500 euros for a decent screen for the print designer.

[enemem]

Originally posted by OddDog
on the comment that lcd´s are not an option for design. yes i agree, but most screens are not. i am still hesitating from spending the 500 euros for a decent screen for the print designer.

I know what you mean. I guess you have to take the plunge at some point... However, there are degrees to usability and I would say the LCD comes out rock-bottom, whereas a decent mid-level CRT will still provide useful results...

collect it from the mother in laws weekend house

while they're not looking

- n.

[OddDog]

as far as i am aware, only 3 screens make the panatone mix exactly.

sony, la cie and apple.

and on the lcd the best is the mac one. but for that you might as well get a second mortgage.