How many computers do you own?

[dubbz]

I got a desktop PC and an old 12" Powerbook (and an old PowerMac that can't even play low quality YouTube movies at proper speed). The desktop is the most used by far (mostly because the Powerbook is too slow for my needs), but I'm much more comfortable with having 2 computers.

One reason is that it's just nice having a laptop for the times when I need a computer away from home. Or somewhere else in the house without having to worry about having a power outlet within range.

Another reason is that it gives me a bit of a safety net. Having another computer is very handy when it comes to troubleshooting/fixing any problems that comes up, and even if it's something you can't fix yourself, you still at least have another computer for your computing needs (e-mail, internet banking, youtube, online poker, porn, whatever) while the other is awaiting repair.

As the laptop is definitely a secondary computer for me, I don't worry too much about cpu speed and graphics power. If I need the speed, I use my desktop. The Powerbook was a perfect secondary computer for me. Likewise, the MacBook or 13" MacBook Pro would be great aswell (though I personally decided to go with the newly updated MacBook).

 

[daneoni]

1 MBP

Keeping two machines in sync is no easy feat

 

[Ptyger]

I don't even want to think about how many computers there are in my home, between myself and my housemates and their kids.

I have 3 machines that are mine and have seen use in the last month. I use my MBP daily for school. I'm going to be giving my mini to the youngest daughter in the household (she always gets the oldest hand me downs, and I wanted to change things up for once). I'll be giving my Dell XPS 720 w/ Core 2 Extreme X6800, 4 GB RAM, and GTX 280 to my housemate's son here soon for his flight sim training (he's going for pilot's license, so even sim time apparently helps). The mini will replace 2 machines that will be donated to local charities and the Dell a desktop that has taken a dump in the last couple of weeks.

My housemate works as a high level support engineer for Unix server storage solutions, so has a pretty good sized lab of many different server configs set up in the basement. He also has his own gaming/performance PC, 3 laptops, and several servers he has setup for various projects he's working on. His wife has a quad core desktop for doing her architecture work, and a powerful PC laptop for moving around to her sites and mobility in general. All in all, I would say that there are nearly 25 working machines in the house.

I am thinking about my next desktop, though. I love the screens on the new iMacs, but I could also use a Mac Pro for future school work (large data set statistical analysis). I'm torn between the two, but I think I will probably end up with the iMac, simply because of the price differential. I'll get the 27" w/ the Core i7. I figure even if it doesn't last me as long as the Pro model would, it will get me through school and costs about half as much as the config I would need, freeing up that money for a future purchase.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I own 4 computers myself, only 3 of which are functional. I have a C2D 24" iMac (my primary machine, now 2 generations behind the latest), a PowerSpec N101 running Ubuntu 9.04 (my secondary machine, used fairly often), a PPC G5 17" iMac (my tertiary machine, used infrequently), and a second PowerSpec that I cannot remember the model number of, that was running Ubuntu 8.04 LTS until it failed - now it no longer boots.

 

[QCassidy352]

three:
- 20" imac, which is my personal computer
- 2009 mini, which I have set up as a HTPC
- dell laptop from my job, which I only use for work as it's totally locked down

I've had two personal computers before, and it's a pain keeping them in sync and/or keeping track of which files are on each.

 

[Santabean2000]

I have:

iMac for projects - film and photos, and quick easy internet access. Can't stand using a portable plugged in for long periods, just gets way too hot and kills the battery, so for me a desktop is a must.

mini - HTPC, and family photo storage.

13"MBP - strictly a work machine, only the iTunes library makes it over from the personal side.

(wife) 12" iBook, soon to be MBA - work.

Just spent some time in HaNoi recently; listing all these machines makes me feel way too self-indulged. If you've never been to Asia proper definitely worth a look.

 

[Kebabselector]

MACs

• 1.66 ghz Mac Mini 2gb - My Webserver
• 2.0 ghz Mac Mini 4gb - My Main Mac
• 2.0 ghz 13" MacBook 2gb

PCs

• 2x HP 2.8ghz DC7x00 series Small Form Factor PCs. One mine (old webserver) other works, will do something with it one day.
• Compaq D510 SFF PC (2.4ghz) Used to connect my SCSI film scanner
• HP Vectra 1.8ghz SFF My even earlier server
• Home built DOS based PC - somewhere
• HP Omnibook laptop (PIII 700mhz) - should bin this really

Retro Stuff

• Loads of Sinclair Spectrums and accessories
• 2x Commodore 64
• BBC Master

 

[Anonymous Freak]

How'd you get Windows 7 to install on an SX260 with no DVD Drive and no support of USB Device boot? Just really curious because I have one my self and I am trying to do the same thing!

Well, you could either use an external DVD drive, and use the 'upgrade' option, which doesn't require booting from the DVD drive.

Or you could make a bootable USB flash drive with the Win7 files, then go in to the BIOS, "Boot Options" menu, and select "USB Flash Device" as the boot device. (As documented in the manual.)