Re: laptop question...
My experience trying to do this with a Win98SE laptop was not good. I have an external SCSI-based burner. I tried two different brands of SCSI PCMCIA cards. Both totally hung my machine. Both vendors had no useful suggestion about how to burp the card to life. However, an off-brand IEEE 1394 (firewire) does work in my machine. -Lon Cotty wrote: On 3/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: . How involved would it be for me to purchase a separate burner and install it myself or, alternatively, has anyone ever used an external cd-burner with a laptop, and if so, how did you find it? what problems, if any, did you find? what sort of power source would I need to run an external cd-burner or would it draw power from the laptop? TIA, tan.
Re: laptop question...
Well I used an HP USB CD/RW with a Satellite (Win98SE)no problems. -- Lon Williamson wrote: My experience trying to do this with a Win98SE laptop was not good. I have an external SCSI-based burner. I tried two different brands of SCSI PCMCIA cards. Both totally hung my machine. Both vendors had no useful suggestion about how to burp the card to life. However, an off-brand IEEE 1394 (firewire) does work in my machine. -Lon Cotty wrote: On 3/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: . How involved would it be for me to purchase a separate burner and install it myself or, alternatively, has anyone ever used an external cd-burner with a laptop, and if so, how did you find it? what problems, if any, did you find? what sort of power source would I need to run an external cd-burner or would it draw power from the laptop? TIA, tan. -- graywolf http://graywolfphoto.com You might as well accept people as they are, you are not going to be able to change them anyway.
Re: laptop question...
Joining this thread late, so forgive my redundancy If you use an external USB CD/RW make sure you get a USB 2.0 burner and a USB 2.0 PCMCIA card to plug it into (if your onboard is not 2.0). I went to oz last October and carted my crappy Dell Inspiron with me. for the trip I bought an external burner and tested it at home on the on-board USB 1 controller. Yeah right! Burning a full CD took ages. So I bought the above mentioned USB 2.0 PCMCIA card and burns went so much quicker. In the end, after lugging the laptop, external burner, CF reader, etc around oz for almost a month, I would HIGHLY recommend getting a laptop with a built-in burner and a built in or PCMCIA CF reader. Christian - Original Message - From: graywolf [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 10:43 AM Subject: Re: laptop question... Well I used an HP USB CD/RW with a Satellite (Win98SE)no problems. -- Lon Williamson wrote: My experience trying to do this with a Win98SE laptop was not good. I have an external SCSI-based burner. I tried two different brands of SCSI PCMCIA cards. Both totally hung my machine. Both vendors had no useful suggestion about how to burp the card to life. However, an off-brand IEEE 1394 (firewire) does work in my machine. -Lon Cotty wrote: On 3/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: . How involved would it be for me to purchase a separate burner and install it myself or, alternatively, has anyone ever used an external cd-burner with a laptop, and if so, how did you find it? what problems, if any, did you find? what sort of power source would I need to run an external cd-burner or would it draw power from the laptop? TIA, tan.
Re: laptop question...
Vic posted: But don't all you Window users wonder why 99 per cent of those who use a Mac absolutely adore them? Having used Macs in the college newsroom for a couple of years, YES I wonder why so many Mac users absolutely adore them. I personally don't see the appeal. Comfort with what's familiar, I could understand (that's no doubt why I prefer Windows to Mac) -- but that's not absolute adoration. I mean, they're just computers. How can you fall in love with a computer? They're not cameras!
Re[2]: laptop question...
Vic, I will say that you are perhaps right in that Mac users adore their machines. Most PC users just think of computers as machines - something to get their work done. Doesn't it seem odd to you that only 5-10% of the Micro marketplace can only see Macs as the only machine for them? Every encounter that I have had with Macs in my 25 years of software engineering has not proven their superiority - quite often sadly lacking in software support from the industry as a whole - more or less a niche oriented machine. But just like a limited lens, you will pay more for the same basic functionality. I will place Macs in the same realm in their arena as Pentax is in the camera arena. Canon and Nikon have pretty much blown Pentax out in the 35mm marketplace - they are trying and producing good products, but struggle nonetheless. Though once strong, through a series of bad choices and decisions, they are no longer the powerhouse they once were. Boy this sounds just like Apple - I remember their glory days before the IBM PC came out. Through a series of bad decisions and choices (litigation against cloners, etc) they are no longer the powerhouse they once were. -- Best regards, Bruce Sunday, January 4, 2004, 9:46:32 PM, you wrote: Pac Amita wrote Pac I doubt it. There's really nothing a Mac can do that a Windows machine can't do just as well. Maybe years ago that was true, but not anymore. Amita Pac Well Amita for the most part you are right. What is really important is not Pac what the computers can do but how they do it. It is the Mac interface that Pac makes most of us Mac lovers so strong in our beliefs. Photoshop acts pretty much Pac the same in windows and on a mac. But go to save a file on windows, put it in Pac the wrong place or whatever and it seems to disappear. It's hard and probably Pac fruitless to try to convince window users of the benefits to using a Mac. But Pac don't all you Window users wonder why 99 per cent of those who use a Mac Pac absolutely adore them? Doesn't that say something? It's like owning a Pentax limited Pac lens. A regular Pentax lens takes the same picture, but the love affair Pac between the photographer and the lens is not the same. The limited lens is so Pac lovely that it inspires the photographer to use it, to experiment with it, to wring Pac the last little bit of exquisite beauty out of it. Pac Without sounding too corny, that's the feeling Mac owners have. And for a few Pac dollars more you too could enjoy it Pac Vic
Re: laptop question...
On 5/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: mean, they're just computers. How can you fall in love with a computer? They're not cameras! It's quite possible. Good job we're all different Eleanour - the world would be a very boring place if we were ;-) Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=| www.macads.co.uk/snaps _ Free UK Mac Ads www.macads.co.uk
Re: laptop question...
I fear a long thread is about to begin but I have to say it again for Tanya's sake. I use both systems. I use Macs, my daughter uses a PC IBM clone. The PC works. There are some advantages to owning a PC over a Mac but for people who are not computer literate, who want a machine that works intuitively... the Mac is the superior machine. It always has been and continues to be. That's not to say that the PC can't get the job done, but I will guarantee you that you will have more problems understanding the PC - it's filing system etc etc. I know the PC lovers will attack me on this but most of them have not used both systems. I have and take it from me that the Mac is simply much easier to use. And if you are going to buy a used one, the cost factor is not that great. Tanya, ask yourself if it's better to have a computer that you feel comfortable with and truly love, or one that can get the job done and save yourself a few bucks PS - at my daily newspaper, all the photogs have Mac laptops... Let the flames begin...
Re: laptop question...
Ok quick! Tell me the name of 1 native windows program that automatically imports and catalogs your pictures from a digital media source. It allows you to catalog the pictures in your own virtual folders (not actual folders), using an XML file. This way a picture can be in 3 folders, and not take up any more disk space than 1 picture. Not only that, but once the pictures are on your disk, it can play a slideshow of these pictures with any music file on your computer. The mac native program? iPhoto. IL Bill - mac convert P.S. - there is no such program native to windows XP On Saturday, January 3, 2004, at 11:15 AM, Amita Guha wrote: I wondered if there's something about Macs that make them good for that application, ie: quickly editing then sending jpegs back to the paper/magazine immediately after the game. I doubt it. There's really nothing a Mac can do that a Windows machine can't do just as well. Maybe years ago that was true, but not anymore. Amita
Re: Re[2]: laptop question...
Bruce et al., Mea culpa, maybe I was spouting a bit there. My posting had been made just after seeing that Tanya was looking for a laptop (for one reason) to use to project pictures while at the wedding reception coupled with the posting I copied that said pc's and macs could do exactly the same things . . . I was attempting to give Tanya (and others) an insight on a piece of software for the mac, and probably sounded alot like a zelot while doing so. If so, I apologize. I'm a little behind in my readings, and found that most of the posts simply said something to the extent of a pc can do what a mac can, and wanted to offer up some actual positive mac advice. Keeping this post on topic with PDML, I just made a purchase that I may regret (pocketbook wise), an *ist D may be on it's way to me this week along with the grip and batteries. Bill On Sunday, January 4, 2004, at 02:27 PM, Bruce Dayton wrote: Why is it whenever we say that we shouldn't have flame wars about PC vs Mac that all the Mac zealots chime in anyway? Don't you guys know how to control yourselves? Or does that come with not knowing how to operate a computer? Get a life you guys - go take some pictures - Tanya already said that Mac's are non-existent where she is. The PC people have been far more restrained this time around. -- Best regards, Bruce Sunday, January 4, 2004, 12:00:57 PM, you wrote: MWMK Ok quick! MWMK Tell me the name of 1 native windows program that automatically MWMK imports and catalogs your pictures from a digital media source. It MWMK allows you to catalog the pictures in your own virtual folders (not MWMK actual folders), using an XML file. This way a picture can be in 3 MWMK folders, and not take up any more disk space than 1 picture. Not only MWMK that, but once the pictures are on your disk, it can play a slideshow MWMK of these pictures with any music file on your computer. MWMK The mac native program? iPhoto. MWMK IL Bill - mac convert MWMK P.S. - there is no such program native to windows XP MWMK On Saturday, January 3, 2004, at 11:15 AM, Amita Guha wrote: I wondered if there's something about Macs that make them good for that application, ie: quickly editing then sending jpegs back to the paper/magazine immediately after the game. I doubt it. There's really nothing a Mac can do that a Windows machine can't do just as well. Maybe years ago that was true, but not anymore. Amita
Re: Re[2]: laptop question...
On 4 Jan 2004 at 12:27, Bruce Dayton wrote: Get a life you guys - go take some pictures - Tanya already said that Mac's are non-existent where she is. The PC people have been far more restrained this time around. We know it's as futile as trying to justifiably criticize the *ist D :-) Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications/ Pentax user since 1986, PDMLer since 1998
Re: laptop question...
Amita wrote I doubt it. There's really nothing a Mac can do that a Windows machine can't do just as well. Maybe years ago that was true, but not anymore. Amita Well Amita for the most part you are right. What is really important is not what the computers can do but how they do it. It is the Mac interface that makes most of us Mac lovers so strong in our beliefs. Photoshop acts pretty much the same in windows and on a mac. But go to save a file on windows, put it in the wrong place or whatever and it seems to disappear. It's hard and probably fruitless to try to convince window users of the benefits to using a Mac. But don't all you Window users wonder why 99 per cent of those who use a Mac absolutely adore them? Doesn't that say something? It's like owning a Pentax limited lens. A regular Pentax lens takes the same picture, but the love affair between the photographer and the lens is not the same. The limited lens is so lovely that it inspires the photographer to use it, to experiment with it, to wring the last little bit of exquisite beauty out of it. Without sounding too corny, that's the feeling Mac owners have. And for a few dollars more you too could enjoy it Vic
Re: laptop question...
It's hard and probably fruitless to try to convince window users of the benefits to using a Mac. Nowhere near as hard as it is to convince a Mac zealot of the benefits of using anything else ... Even something as simple as a 3-button wheel mouse would be a good start.
Re: laptop question...
On 3/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: Just a quick question guys and gals... I have been looking at second-hand (used) laptops, and my only prerequisite really is that it can run a slideshow program, such as IrfanView, check and send emails and burn cds. I am not going for anything high tech here, just something to get me by whilst on the road. So, anyways, my questions are - pretty much all of the laptops that i have looked at in my price range come with cd-roms, and many with dvds, but very few with burners. So, I am quite capable of installing new hardware onto my own pc, but have never opened up a laptop. How involved would it be for me to purchase a separate burner and install it myself or, alternatively, has anyone ever used an external cd-burner with a laptop, and if so, how did you find it? what problems, if any, did you find? what sort of power source would I need to run an external cd-burner or would it draw power from the laptop? TIA, tan. ARGH. For God's sake Tan, buy an Apple iBook with a Superdrive (DVD burner) - this computer was made for you, you just don't realise it. You buy it. You take it out of the box. It works. Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=| www.macads.co.uk/snaps _ Free UK Mac Ads www.macads.co.uk
Re: laptop question...
lol Cotty.. from the time I saw the topic I was counting down the seconds til you'd post that message! :-) Ryan - Original Message - From: Cotty [EMAIL PROTECTED] For God's sake Tan, buy an Apple iBook with a Superdrive (DVD burner) - this computer was made for you, you just don't realise it. You buy it. You take it out of the box. It works.
Re: laptop question...
Cotty said: You buy it. You take it out of the box. It works. Yeah, but my credit card won't if I went out and bought that thing! I have so much that I need to buy at the moment, and the laptop is one of the things that I feel I can scrimp on a little, I really don't need anything with the latest you-beaut, flasho technologies, just something that can transfer my files from their respective CF Cards/Smartmedia cards to a cd, and something that I can use to run a projected slideshow for clients at their wedding receptions etc. One day, when I win the lottery, Cotty, you'll be the first person that I turn to for advice... BTW, as great as they are (and I HAVE worked with them whilst I was at Uni.), Apple Macs are almost non-existent in this part of the world. Not trying to flame here, but I am dead serious, I have never seen one in this town at all, and you cannot buy any software or hardware for them until you hit Brisbane (which is 1500kms away!)... tan.
Re: laptop question...
One of this month's photo mags has an article by a photographer about the world of professionals shooting at National Football League games in the US. Only the best of the best get press passes for those games - maybe 15 or 25 a game; the NFL is very stringent about giving out photo passes. So, anyway, just for the story, this guy gets a pass, to tag along with a photog from a Boston daily. He goes into the photographer's room before the game, telling us briefly what equipment they're using. First he tells us about the cams and lenses (all digital, of course), and then he mentions that they've all got laptops, and further says that the vast majority of them are Macs (and, Tanya, in NA, PC's predominate for home use, I think). I wondered if there's something about Macs that make them good for that application, ie: quickly editing then sending jpegs back to the paper/magazine immediately after the game. cheers, frank The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true. -J. Robert Oppenheimer From: Tanya Mayer Photography [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: laptop question... Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2004 01:56:42 +1000 Cotty said: You buy it. You take it out of the box. It works. Yeah, but my credit card won't if I went out and bought that thing! I have so much that I need to buy at the moment, and the laptop is one of the things that I feel I can scrimp on a little, I really don't need anything with the latest you-beaut, flasho technologies, just something that can transfer my files from their respective CF Cards/Smartmedia cards to a cd, and something that I can use to run a projected slideshow for clients at their wedding receptions etc. One day, when I win the lottery, Cotty, you'll be the first person that I turn to for advice... BTW, as great as they are (and I HAVE worked with them whilst I was at Uni.), Apple Macs are almost non-existent in this part of the world. Not trying to flame here, but I am dead serious, I have never seen one in this town at all, and you cannot buy any software or hardware for them until you hit Brisbane (which is 1500kms away!)... tan. _ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/bcommpgmarket=en-caRU=http%3a%2f%2fjoin.msn.com%2f%3fpage%3dmisc%2fspecialoffers%26pgmarket%3den-ca
RE: laptop question...
I wondered if there's something about Macs that make them good for that application, ie: quickly editing then sending jpegs back to the paper/magazine immediately after the game. I doubt it. There's really nothing a Mac can do that a Windows machine can't do just as well. Maybe years ago that was true, but not anymore. Amita
Re: laptop question...
Hi, Saturday, January 3, 2004, 5:41:20 PM, you wrote: Mac's are great for the computer illiterate (like Cotty) GRIN. Yes, those idiots at Mac are stupid enough to think computers should be people-literate rather than the other way round. Bob
Re: laptop question...
John, I think that you likely hit upon the higher ratio of Macs (whether as extreme as indicated in the article I read, or not) among NFL PJ's. Probably provided by their employers. The article did mention that basically, the only way to get a photo press pass anywhere in the NFL is to be emplyed by a major daily newspaper, major magazine or a wire service. There are very very few freelancers doing it anymore, and those ones have been doing it for years - basically those that pre-dated the NFL tightening of who gets passes. cheers, frank The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true. -J. Robert Oppenheimer From: John Francis [EMAIL PROTECTED] snip Plus, of course, many of those 25 photographers will be with specific magazines, so the computer may well be provided by the magazine, not by the photographer. That, too, will bias the choice towards a Mac - the pre-press industry has long been a Mac stronghold. Nowaday's there's no strong technical reason for either platform. If you like Macs, buy a Mac. If Windows suits the way you work a little better, get a Windows XP notebook. _ Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/bcommpgmarket=en-caRU=http%3a%2f%2fjoin.msn.com%2f%3fpage%3dmisc%2fspecialoffers%26pgmarket%3den-ca
Re: laptop question...
On 3/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: So, anyway, just for the story, this guy gets a pass, to tag along with a photog from a Boston daily. He goes into the photographer's room before the game, telling us briefly what equipment they're using. First he tells us about the cams and lenses (all digital, of course), and then he mentions that they've all got laptops, and further says that the vast majority of them are Macs (and, Tanya, in NA, PC's predominate for home use, I think). I wondered if there's something about Macs that make them good for that application, ie: quickly editing then sending jpegs back to the paper/magazine immediately after the game. In this day and age it shouldn't make a difference - PCs will do the job just as fast and just as well. The difference is that to make things work fast and well on a PC, you have to know what you are doing - more so than on a Mac. Most photographers are photographers first and computer-users second, maybe even third of fourth - they don't have the time or inclination to spend hours setting things up and troubleshooting. They want something to work and get the job done. A PC will do this just as well, sometimes better - if the user is pretty good at knowing PCs, or has access to someone who does. In the end, to most people, it's down to personal choice. In the end, to most working sports and newspaper photographers it's down to what they've come to know and feel comfortable with / get given. Please let's not let this turn into another PC vs Mac thread :-) Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=| www.macads.co.uk/snaps _ Free UK Mac Ads www.macads.co.uk
Re: laptop question...
On 3/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: Based on my own observations in a working press room at CART races (not quite as exclusive as the NFL, or as big-budget, but still restricted) the Macs and PCs are both present in significant numbers. Neither is dominant (unlike the North American laptop world in general). I'd be interested to know how many of those Macs were the top-end model. That wonderful 17 screen is something that might tempt me to a Mac. Sure, it's expensive. But if you're an NFL photographer with three D2H bodies and tens of thousands of dollars in lenses round your neck the cost of the laptop is insignificant. Plus, of course, many of those 25 photographers will be with specific magazines, so the computer may well be provided by the magazine, not by the photographer. That, too, will bias the choice towards a Mac - the pre-press industry has long been a Mac stronghold. Nowaday's there's no strong technical reason for either platform. If you like Macs, buy a Mac. If Windows suits the way you work a little better, get a Windows XP notebook. Well said John. Sound words. Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=| www.macads.co.uk/snaps _ Free UK Mac Ads www.macads.co.uk
Re: laptop question...
On 3/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: Mac's are great for the computer illiterate (like Cotty) GRIN. Tom, you're spot-on. Absolutely right. I wouldn't know a C drive from a warp drive, really! I just want something that works without demanding things from me, and no computer can offer that, but I've found mine as close as I can get. The nicest thing I found recently was brainstorming my son's Yamaha keyboard. I wanted to import music through the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) system and was pondering on what software to use and install, cringe. Someone pointed out to me that the Mac OS has a MIDI setup built into the OS. Nothing extra needed to bring those files in. Now *that's* what I call cl. Suits my laziness perfectly. Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=| www.macads.co.uk/snaps _ Free UK Mac Ads www.macads.co.uk
Re: laptop question...
On 3/1/04, [EMAIL PROTECTED] disgorged: Sounds like the computer for me, then! vbg Taking a great risk posting thisbut... Frank, you can play with mine at GFM. Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=| www.macads.co.uk/snaps _ Free UK Mac Ads www.macads.co.uk
Re: laptop question...
Don't forget leasing, Tanya, you can then afford a better model. I'd be very careful with second-hand laptops, you never know what abuse they've suffered. Modern laptops do come with built in CDR/CDRW drives anyway (and possibly DVD - haven't checked recently), and XP includes OS level burning software. I would avoid trying to install any new hardware in a laptop, it's pretty crowded in there! John Coyle (formerly a whinging Pom, now a constructively-criticising Aussie!) Brisbane, Australia - Original Message - From: Tanya Mayer Photography [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2004 9:43 PM Subject: laptop question... Just a quick question guys and gals... I have been looking at second-hand (used) laptops, and my only prerequisite really is that it can run a slideshow program, such as IrfanView, check and send emails and burn cds. I am not going for anything high tech here, just something to get me by whilst on the road. So, anyways, my questions are - pretty much all of the laptops that i have looked at in my price range come with cd-roms, and many with dvds, but very few with burners. So, I am quite capable of installing new hardware onto my own pc, but have never opened up a laptop. How involved would it be for me to purchase a separate burner and install it myself or, alternatively, has anyone ever used an external cd-burner with a laptop, and if so, how did you find it? what problems, if any, did you find? what sort of power source would I need to run an external cd-burner or would it draw power from the laptop? TIA, tan.
Re: laptop question...
Yo Tanya - I know you know better, but in case you get carried away let me comment... I only looked at the first of the machines you referenced. That machine is no stinking good! The internal hard drive should be 10 times larger, the memory should be at least 4, preferably 8 times larger. Wait for something you can use for a few years, don't buy something that will be useless in 3 months! Though not as computer literate as many on the list, I do put a fair amount of study into it. I spend (or rather I authorize my office to spend) $20-30K (USD) every year on computer gear for the 10 of us in the office. There are luxuries you don't need, there is cheap crap you shouldn't buy, and there is a vast range of good usable equipment in the mid-range that will help you to be effective in your job. Don't be penny wise, pound foolish! Of the 3 computers in my home, 2 were bought on eBay. It is a potentially good source. BUT, you should be looking for features, not price. As John Francis commented, you have a situation where you should not be fretting over a few dollars. I figure your gross income each year should be about $200k ASD, a net of $100k before taxes. You are doing yourself, your family, and your clients a serious disservice by buying cheap antiquated equipment that results in you spending time waiting for the computer to process an image, time you should be spending to be creative. To repeat the familiar mantra from the List, Raise your prices! Raise your prices! Stop demeaning yourself by giving it away. Be proud of your work and make others proud to have used your service; raise your prices! And, happy new year! Stan stans-photography.info Tanya Mayer Photography wrote: In regards to my laptop question, I have received many wonderful responses, some of which included: John Francis saying: snipThis should be a business expense. Buy yourself a decent machine with a good warranty (a brand with a local dealer nearby would be a plus). snip And yet you're agonising over saving a couple of hundred dollars on a laptop computer that will be part of your mainstream revenue production process? If you're overworked, yet underpaid, your prices are too low. Raise them. Mike Wilson with this advice, emailed to me off list but with permission to post it here: snip You don't seem to have noticed, despite numerous people telling you, that you _have_ won the lottery. Most, if not all, of the professionals on this list can only dream of the opportunity that has fallen into your lap. Grab it. With both hands, hang on for dear life and bite the legs off anyone who tries to take it away from you. I'm including your sister and mother in that group. The first thing you need to do is get some money off them up front. Say, about enough to cover the cost of a decent laptop and burner? You are going to charge them a seriously five figure fee, aren't you? Frank queried: I wondered if there's something about Macs that make them good for that application, ie: quickly editing then sending jpegs back to the paper/magazine immediately after the game. Ryan offered: what I meant to say is that it's not usually a big hassle to put in a cd burner in some not too old yet affordable secondhand laptops. No screwdrivers necessary. However, what I'd suggest to you though, is to find a laptop with perhaps USB2.0 or firewire connectivity, and to get an external DVDRW burner, instead of a CDRW... Steve offered: Most Dell laptops made in the last few years have been modular - swapping the floppy or CD drive for a burner is as simple as pushing the release button on the bottom, sliding out the old drive and then pushing in the new one - you can even do it with the machine running. :-) Ok, s, here's my thinking: As a result of this great booking that I have from the Middle Eastern couple, I am going to have a little bit of extra money floating around. Of course, my immediate thought was to go straight out and buy myself the *istD. Then, I stopped, and stood back to consider it for a while. And here are my plans... I will have about au$2k to play with... 1. Use au$1000 as the required deposit to LEASE the *istD for the next 2 years with an ongoing fee of au$45 p/month... 2. Use au$500 to purchase a used laptop to get me by until I can afford something better... 3. Use remaining au$500 to purchase some other items, I have been trying to organise - namely Windows XP upgrade, Quickbooks software, another CF card etc... Yep, so I know that the laptop choice seems really dodgy, but it will get me by for now. Later on, I will probably lease a decent one and pass this little one onto my boys to play their PC games on. In regards to laptops, John mentioned that i was agonising over saving a couple of hundred dollars on a laptop. Well, I was just discussing computers with Rob Studdert the other day. You guys in the US, UK etc seem to have access to technology at much cheaper rates than we do down here. I
Re: laptop question...
On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 12:15:58 +1000, Tanya Mayer Photography wrote: Ok, s, here's my thinking: As a result of this great booking that I have from the Middle Eastern couple, I am going to have a little bit of extra money floating around. Of course, my immediate thought was to go straight out and buy myself the *istD. Then, I stopped, and stood back to consider it for a while. And here are my plans... I will have about au$2k to play with... Tanya, How about renting a PC for about $22-$30 per week http://www.cworld.com.au (or one of many other places). As it's renting you can claim the cost back off your tax and it's not an immediate outlay. Get the *istD whoever you want to do it. If you can rent it with a $1000 deposit then that sounds good if you have the money to start it off. Also a tax deduction. Buy 2 1 gig CF cards and buy a USB2.0 card reader (you need the speed of USB2.0 to transfer the data so you can reuse the card - 1 gig card holds about 68 RAW format images and would take at a guess about 15 minutes to transfer). Check out http://www.powerinnumbers.com.au they have good prices. I've bought from them and they are close to me and if you have any problems I'll go and see them personally on your behalf. Consider an Epson photo quality A3 printer if you have money left over. It's how I'd do it on a budget. Leon http://www.bluering.org.au http://www.bluering.org.au/leon
Re: laptop question...
Ok, ok, at the risk of this thread becoming a world record holder in length, I feel that I do need to respond as I have had many of you taking the time to give me advice both on list and off. And so, here goes... In regards to the laptop - I actually had them mixed up and the one with the burner wasn't the one that I preferred, it was actually this one here, which I am winning at this point: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemitem=3450789600category=3717rd=1 Bigger HDD, bigger monitor, faster processor. Yes, the RAM does suck, but I am only running 256mb on my home PC and that is with Photoshop, Image Ready, Go Live etc, and I've never really had an issue with it (am planning to upgrade it to 1gb fairly soon though just for the sake of it really). And I am looking at buying this (or something similar) to run with it: http://shop.centre.net.au/index.html?cat=0005WZ0005XE0007KCprid=000V2Dit=product or this one: http://shop.centre.net.au/index.html?cat=0005WZ0005XE0007K7prid=000ZHFit=product Honestly, I really think it will be ample for what my needs will demand of it... for now. Remember, this is a *temporary measure*. For some time in our house, we have had ongoing arguments over the home PC due to the kids and their computer games etc. So, I am planning on buying one of this level now and passing it onto the kids in a month or two for them to have. Why the rush to get one NOW rather than wait until I can afford the real thing? Well, I am now digitally enabled. I have 6 weddings in the next 6 weeks where I will be able to shoot digitally, but it is ridiculous to even attempt it without a laptop, as I will be 1500kms away from my home PC for them. I can't afford anything decent right now - I have a young family, who just had a very expensive Christmas, we have ongoing house renovations, and I have just spent over $4k in the past month on equipment as well. On a personal level, we have our own bills to pay, and my husband was injured when a diesel tank exploded in his face 8 weeks ago and has been unable to work, and so I have been basically supporting the family with my income during this time. He has now gone back to work this week, BUT there have been bills that have been neglected over the past 8 weeks that will need attending to asap. Ok, so basically, as much as I would love to, I can't devote ALL of my profits straight back into equipment - I need to feed my kids first, and I would feel much too guilty and selfish buying toys for myself when I know that as a family we have other priorities. Although, I have been really busy with photography work over the past 2 months, all of my profits have really been spent on pulling my family through a rather difficult time financially. Anyways, enough of the sob story... The moral of the story is, that I will be leasing a decent laptop as soon as I can, BUT I will still need $1000 or thereabouts as a required deposit as my business has only been trading for under a year and there are very little financial records that I can provide when applying for such agreements. Anyways, sorry for the prattling on, but basically, I am buying a little laptop to get me through the next few weeks or maybe month or two, so that I am able to shoot these upcoming bookings digitally, and thus make a larger profit from them (ie no film/processing costs...), I will then ditch it in favour of something that will keep me going on a longer term basis. I *could* of course just wack all of my resources into a laptop right now, but I really want to get my *istD as well, and am still trying to aim for a certain trip to the US come June, and so I feel that this is a pretty good compromise and will settle many a dispute in our house when the kids finally get to have it! Stan, you observed this: As John Francis commented, you have a situation where you should not be fretting over a few dollars... And I aim that eventually, I won't have to. BUT, the fact is, that I am a mum first, a wife second and a photographer third. My priorities are such that, for the time being, every little cent certainly does count. Stan also said: I figure your gross income each year should be about $200k ASD, a net of $100k before taxes. ROFLMSAO (Rolling on the floor laughing my skinny arse off...!), hahahahahaha, heeheeheeheehee, hohohohohoho!!! phew, ok, taking a breath now... In reply to that comment - are you kidding me? If I was making that sort of money, my hubby could quit his job and be a full-time house husband and I would travel the world flogging my wares. Remember, guys, I live in a small, drought stricken country town. I am only just now branching out to the metropolitan areas where people have a much more disposable income. My aim is that in 5 years time I am earning that amount, but seriously, there is only one of me, and only so many hours in a day. I have three babies that need me in that day as well. Last year, by a rough estimate (I wasn't
