September 6, 2012 at 9:44 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Dream Machine
September 7, 2012 at 2:54 am
I love my MacBook Air too. For on-the-go stuff, I'd just spec the MBA I've already got as it's the top-of-the-range new model they just released 😀
If it was a desktop machine I'd wait for the new iMacs to be announced and ask for the top-spec of one of those.
September 7, 2012 at 3:11 am
Dream machine would have a super-fast hard disk subsystem (maybe SSDs in RAID), at least 16Gb of RAM, super-powerful CPU and a single, very large monitor. (I dislike using multiple monitors, always have).
September 7, 2012 at 3:57 am
I've got to that age where as long as it works, reliably and consistently I'm happy.
The Dell workstations we have were top of the line when we got them 6 years ago and are still good machines, if a little low on local storage, but we shouldn't be using this anyway, as everything we do should be stored on the network where it can be backed up.
I don't want multiple monitors, but a bigger one is always nice at work I have a 21" monitor and a 23" one at home.
I use to spec and build my own machines, but these days I have better things to do than read up on the latest and greatest, reliability and longevity are more important to me now, so I went into a high street retailer for my last machine and got their top of the range desktop. Unless the next version of Visual Studio or Open Office requires a ridiculously powerful machine, I should be fine until about 2020.
September 7, 2012 at 4:51 am
I was quite lucky when I came on board with my employer as they basically said that I could spec my own laptop prior to me starting (providing it was a Lenovo!). I choose the Lenovo E520 Edge which gave me the balance between keeping costs realistic, portability & the performance I needed (Core i5, 2.30 Ghz, 4 Gb RAM, 500Gb HDD). I do use an additional 21" screen via the VGA out on the laptop (don't really have the need for any other monitors at the moment as we only have a few servers running a maximum of 2 SQL Server instances each and in conjunction with the laptop screen it works well enough (for now!). I'd love to have been able to spec up the actual servers as well though - maybe in a couple years we'll look to upgrade!!?? 😀
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September 7, 2012 at 5:28 am
Just purchased the Lenovo W530 and aftermarket memory (16G) and SSD (256G). That is my dream machine. It turns out that I have used Thinkpads since 1997 and am quite used to the trackpoint. I've recently been using a Gateway with a trackpad at home and am ready to pitch that thing out the window! That, coupled with the power and the recent mention by Glenn Berry and you, I was sold.
Interestingly, I think the "worm has turned" on purchasing your own dream machine and attempting to use it for work as well instead of trying to convince your employer to buy more horsepower. I have for years managed my business and personal life on a single computer provided by my employer, and the "high end" laptop (as they call it) was always plenty fine. I think that was because the horsepower, the bandwidth, and disk storage hadn't reached a point where there was much you did with your laptop beyond business. Maybe a spreadsheet to track your kid's scout achievements or compare cars for your next purchase. And corporate servers were the only way to play with an enterprise version of SQL Server and really learn it. Now suddenly we have two key uses for our laptops - social media and cloud storage - that we can't live without. Many employers block both. And it is not possible to convince an employer to purchase a beast for you to install virtual box and set up availability groups for a learning experience along side a linux VM to run Oracle (where I work we use both).
I now use producteev for task management, evernote for note taking, dropbox for cloud storage, and AWS to play with cloud instances of SQL Server and Oracle. My employer blocks every one of these as well as my facebook page, my twitter feed, and so on. So I think we are seeing folks wanting to buy their own equipment and bring it to work, instead of trying to use their work equipment at home. My next step is trying to get my employer let me bring my new "beast" to work and provide me a citrix desktop to reach the corporate assets. Its a win for them and its a win for me. I think we will see a rapid tipping toward "bring your own technology".
Thanks Steve for the very timely editorial (I continue to be amazed at how you find something interesting and timely to write each day in SQL Server Central.com) and the space for us in the community to write back!
September 7, 2012 at 5:36 am
"I see now shortage".. do you ever proofread?
September 7, 2012 at 5:56 am
steve.neumann (9/7/2012)
"I see now shortage".. do you ever proofread?
With as many articles and editorials that Steve publishes, I'd say he's miles ahead of the proof readers for most books. Give the man a break. 😉
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
September 7, 2012 at 6:47 am
My personal laptop is more powerful than many of the servers at work and with my MSDN membership, I probably have more server licenses/keys and experience than the IT department. 🙁
So my dream machine is a decent workstation... elsewhere.
September 7, 2012 at 7:07 am
Cray CX1
Cheers
September 7, 2012 at 7:10 am
Todd.Everett (9/7/2012)
Now suddenly we have two key uses for our laptops - social media and cloud storage - that we can't live without. Many employers block both....
I now use producteev for task management, evernote for note taking, dropbox for cloud storage, and AWS to play with cloud instances of SQL Server and Oracle. My employer blocks every one of these as well as my facebook page, my twitter feed, and so on. ...
Thanks Steve for the very timely editorial (I continue to be amazed at how you find something interesting and timely to write each day in SQL Server Central.com) and the space for us in the community to write back!
Does your employer block those for some security issue or just they think it improves productivity?
September 7, 2012 at 7:11 am
oddly enough working for a very large company I have no complaints....so I guess my ideal machine to add to the office would be...one of these...
September 7, 2012 at 7:22 am
anthony.dean (9/7/2012)
oddly enough working for a very large company I have no complaints....so I guess my ideal machine to add to the office would be...one of these...
LOL, but from personal experience, lots of cleaning needed for these things to keep working over time.
September 7, 2012 at 7:26 am
I've built some PCs and bought about the same. Laptops have finally caught up to providing the power and with a few adapters the abiltiy to attach other HDDs when trying to remove viruses from other PCs. The 4 montiors would be great at work if my desk was big enough. Currently I use an old PC (E-Mail, research, notes...) and a laptop (for the real work). I'll be getting to pick a new one next year and will get to pick one within reason on the price and it will be a laptop instead of a PC. I mainly work on application development and some support of databases.
Needs:
17" display minimum
i7 processor (I compromised processing speed last time and won't do it again).
8GB RAM (but if I can get more I will)
At least 1 external monitor port
At least 1 USB 3.0 port
E-Sata
sd card slots
As big of a battery as I can get
Backlit keyboad (letters don't wear off).
DVD burner
Ideally I would get 2 HDDs, but I doubt that would be in the budget
HP has one that I recommended for my nephew going off to college for $800 with all of the above. I need to stick with Dell for work though so the price will be higher. It's amazing how much you can get for under $1000 compared to only a couple of years ago.
September 7, 2012 at 7:29 am
with all the possible choices, and p-o-s apple kids toys are mentioned more than anything else
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