Is your primary computer a desktop or a laptop?

[Cant trust em]

Just curious.

[kentauros]

1. Desktop.

I have no use for a laptop, unless someone can find a way to make my 24" monitor, 6x8 Wacom graphics tablet and Canon Pixma Pro9000 printer into a portable desk and complete computer system :P

[hobbit709]

2. Yep.

It's kinda hard to tote around a large format or a color laser with duplexer printer. Not to mention the 3 Terabytes worth of video and music files.

[kentauros]

3. I was just thinking about the data part.

I have a little over a terabyte on two externals I forgot to include. But I seriously don't understand the penchant to tote around a piece of hardware that includes so much of your life that you'd hate to allow someone else to know. And all it takes for that is to "forget" it someplace or have it stolen when you're not looking. It's much harder for that to happen with a desktop system ;)

Oh, that's the other thing. Those of us that have a desktop computer don't think of it in terms of just the CPU box. It's a system :D

[hobbit709]

5. I have a laptop too.

I use it if I'm on the road, but it has very little data on it besides about 50 gigs worth of mp3 files. It lets me check my mail and DU if I'm out of town but that's about the only time I use it.

[kentauros]

6. Now that's sensible.

I've known some that have had their laptops "walk off" as well as one that's afraid of it happening because it's got all of their restaurant data on it...

[Betty88]

16. Thats our set up too

We both have desktops where the data lives. We also have a netbook for travel so my partner can access her work desktop and check email. If the netbook got lost/stolen no big deal there is almost no data on it at all.

[MilesColtrane]

4. Primary: Desktop

Secondary: iPad

Tertiary: smart phone

[Cant trust em]

8. That's my plan as soon as this laptop wears out.

I'm in school right now, so the laptop is pretty important.

[Mojambo]

12. Same here. n/t

[freshwest]

7. I have a laptop for backup so I can use when my hard drive fries. Because it will.

I have two back up drives and the laptop. I'm going to upgrade the desktop to 2 or 3 tb and the laptop to 500 g whenever something goes wrong.

All my information is jammed into the desktop and overflowing, I'm constantly having to burn discs to make room. I'll be glad when I can afford to clone my hard drive onto a 2 or 3 tb hard drive.

The laptop, unfortunately, will never be able to accommodate more than 500 g. I may begin using my 1 tb back up to get more use of the laptop, though.

Just haven't tried it yet, because I imagine the laptop has to have more free space than it does now, to even look at what's on the external drive. Does it matter?

Right now, my desktop is reeling from what it has to boot up already. It's barely got enough free memory to function.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. My primary computer is my desktop.

But it's upstairs, and I am often downstairs. For that, I need my laptop. I also use my laptop on trips, to talk to you all here, and to load my pictures into.

Loading and storing my pictures is really important while I'm traveling. It means I can label them while I still remember where I was.

:hi:

[Initech]

10. I have a self built desktop and a Toshiba laptop.

[Sisaruus]

11. Laptop at home

Desktop at work

[bigwillq]

13. It it now a laptop

Got my own a few months ago.

Although there are probably more important documents and information on my work desktop.

[dimbear]

14. My primary is a desktop, but my backup is a desktop.

I just use this piece of junk on the interwebs, and never connect the good one. If viruses take this one away, I won't waste any tears over it. What was it, like 300 bucks? I remember when computers cost money.

[Paradoxical]

15. Laptop. I'm a college student and I take my computer with me literally everywhere.

I don't remember the last time I left my apartment without it.

[Deep13]

18. Do you use it to take notes in class?

If so, can you tell how it is better than just writing the notes on paper?

I'm going back to school this fall and the last time I was in school was 1994. Then a few students were just starting to use portable computers in classrooms.

[Cant trust em]

20. I use the laptop to take notes.

In undergrad (2003) practically no one used laptops. Now I'd estimate 40% or so.

Writing notes longhand feels like a waste of time.

[Xithras]

22. I can answer that one for you.

I'm a college instructor, and the majority of my students use laptops for notetaking. Why? Simple: The average person can type about 33 words per minute on a computer. The average person can write about 19 words per minute with a pen. The increased notetaking speed means that a student can either take more comprehensive notes, or spend MORE time listening, and less transcribing. Typing, at least in a classroom environment, is far superior to writing by hand.

Writing the English language has always been slow, which is why alternatives like shorthand used to exist. The difference is that shorthand required special training, and allowed writers to increase their speeds to an average 40WPM. With a keyboard, anyone with 10 fingers can get up to the low thirties with only a little practice. I type about 52 WPM uncorrected.

In addition, most modern computers include microphones. I'd estimate that about half of my students record my lectures, in addition to taking notes. It's hard to do that with a pen.

[Deep13]

32. Thanks. nt

[Paradoxical]

31. It's a lot easier taking notes on a computer.

At least, if you if know how to type fast. I can average around 100 wpm. So I can type just about as fast as the professor can speak.

[HopeHoops]

17. Both - different purposes.

[WolverineDG]

19. I have both

A desktop for when I'm home & the laptop for when I'm travelling or want to watch TV & surf at the same time. :) I got tired of having to beg to use someone's computer when I was out of town (not to mention stuck in a hotel room with no MSNBC), so I broke down & got a laptop.

I'm debating whether or not to get an iPad, but I'm not enthused with AT&T right now & don't want to get stuck having to use one of their data plans.

dg

[Xithras]

21. Depends on who you ask in my house.

I own a large widescreen laptop, and a desktop. I'm nearly always on the desktop and only use the laptop on occasion. My primary computer is the desktop.

My wife almost never uses the desktop, and prefers to use the laptop almost exclusively. My kids tend to use the laptop far more than the desktop too (except for my oldest daughter, who has her own laptop and never uses the house computers).

[Seedersandleechers]

23. I have everything I need

A Macbook Pro...

[femmocrat]

24. Both: Laptop at work; desktop at home. n/t

[tinymontgomery]

34. Almost the same

desk top at work, lap top at work.

[csziggy]

25. Desktop - third, maybe fourth build in the same case

Which is why I prefer a desktop. I can upgrade components or the motherboard as needed. Swap out hard drives if I need more space. Or build an entirely new computer for a full upgrade. (Though the last two times my friend who owns a computer shop did the rebuilds for me.)

I do have a laptop to use while traveling, mostly for web surfing and burning pictures to CDR so I can free up my camera memory cards. The laptop is aging - once it gives up, I may get a tablet of some sort. Since I seldom need a computer when away from home, it isn't worth it these days.

[slay]

26. Desktops rule - only kind that are fully upgradeable

and try gettin the top of the line graphics card in a laptop - aint happnin.

[Lucian]

27. College student with a laptop.

I can bring my laptop with me to the library or coffee shop. I can't bring a desktop with me.

[Odin2005]

28. Desktop.

A cheap $400 Compaq I bought when my old Compaq died.

[Xipe Totec]

29. What's a primary?

:hide:

I'm looking around, I see two desktops and two laptops. None that I would consider primary. I'm as likely to use one as any other.

[BlueJazz]

30. Have both but desktop will blow the laptop out the door. Most laptops just don't ...

...have the power for serious studio work.

[lukasahero]

33. What's "primary"?

I use a laptop 8 - 10 hrs a day at work but it's not "mine".

At home, I have a desktop, a netbook, an iPad and an iPod Touch. If primary means the one I use most often, then it's the iPad. If it means the one that runs/networks/and drives everything else, it's the desktop.

:P

[Broken_Hero]

35. Desk top,

but I am planning on getting a laptop, and a router eventually....