Work from one computer, two or ?

[entatlrg]

Do you prefer to work from one 'main' computer or more?

Using one main computer has it's benefits, everything is in one place, no juggling files or file syncing software. It's easy to stay focused working from one desktop.

But, if you have mobility in mind you'd need the computer to be a notebook and work with a limited screen size or add an external display .... but then there's the plugging/unplugging all day, files need to be kept in sync...

What's your setup like, one computer or two, how do you use them?

 

[ender land]

I use my 13" mbp for everything.

I have a custom docking station setup at home (23" monitor, keyboard/mouse/speakers) and several I can use at work (as a research assistant).

If I did do multiple computers I would *have* to use something like dropbox to sync files. I think it is easier now than ever to do multiple computers, but I have so many custom settings and know where things are, etc, that it would be difficult to justify having two machines.

I could see myself getting an iMac to play with, realizing I don't need it, and returning it (or my mbp, probably the iMac). if I had a more permanent office I would probably want a desktop computer to use there however.

Also, while the 13" screen size is not the best, I've found that for 90%+ of the things I do it is sufficient. Actually the only thing which bothers me about it is google calendar, I have to do full screen to get a full days schedule to be nicely viewable because of how gcal resizes its frames.

 

[h1r0ll3r]

Ditched my 17" HP and my Dell Desktop when I got my 15" MBP. I tried juggling different laptops and what not but it got to be kind of a pain. I do everything on my MBP now and along with the 1TB backup drive and countless cloud storage accounts, I'm pretty good with my setup now. That and I have about 10 USB keys so the important data I need will always come with me.

 

[KnightWRX]

But, if you have mobility in mind you'd need the computer to be a notebook and work with a limited screen size or add an external display .... but then there's the plugging/unplugging all day, files need to be kept in sync...

What's your setup like, one computer or two, how do you use them?

One Macbook Air. No files to keep in sync since I don't have many computers and an external monitor isn't a problem. Of course if Apple knew how to make docks, it would be even easier, but it's not like plugging in 3 wires is sooooo much of a pain.

Having many computers is more of a pain than it's worth.

 

[Hellhammer]

24" iMac and 13" MBA. I only need documents to be synced so that works easily with DropBox (I would do that even if I had only one computer). Of course, if you work with video or other big files, then DropBox is a no-go and file syncing in general may be a pain in your ass.

I really like having two computers. Sure it has its pros and cons but for me, the pros outweigh the cons. If I had only one computer, it would most likely be 15" MBP. By the time I bought my iMac, it wasn't as powerful as the iMac and it is nowhere near as portable as MBA.

 

[Tomorrow]

MacBook and an iMac - and I virtually never do anything on one that would ever get done on the other, so no syncing necessary.

 

[Mousse]

I like multi-computer setup. I've got a dual boot (Linux, WinXP) desktop for internet (linux), ripping videos and various minor tasks, and games (XP). The MacBook does photo editing. Lots of times, I'm using both computers at the same time.

 

[And]

Stupidly, I have 5 computers (4 macs) I use at least once a week and I have awful synching issues. I need to rationalise by selling a mini very soon!

 

[Young Spade]

Well right now I have two computers; my MacBook and my windows PC. I had the PC before hand so all of my files were on that; when I got the Mac I transfereed all of the important things over (pictures, school documents), and kept the movies and things like that on the old computer.

I take my Mac with me, the PC stays at home. Everything I do now is on the Mac, however whenever I download movies, tv shows, things like that I watch them on the 19 inch monitor I have hooked up to the windows laptop.

However for transferring a few files between I use DropBox; great little program that syncs everything in a free 2gb folder to unlimited computers (and devices like Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad).