New Computer = Happy Scott!

Wow!  This thing is FAST!  With 8 gig on the board I'm going to have WAY more fun producing the Rocky Mountain Region's Callboard Magazine!  My old computer just didn't have enough horsepower.

While my wife doesn't have much to do with my train addiction, but she is a whiz at computers.  Here we are taking the new Lenovo desktop out of the box.  It has 8 gig on the board and a terabyte of storage...way more than I need.

Wow!  The monitor is awesome!  Bigger, brighter, nicer color.  So fast!  Oh, I can't wait!  Marie is loading up Windows Office, the printer and a new copy of MS Publisher!  If I'm going to do this much publishing, I want the best I can get.

Needless to say, a set of gin and tonics is required for loading software.  The network is working, the networked printer is operational and I can see all five other computers in the house from here.  Yes, we have six working computers in the house and we use them all.  There is a new laptop sitting on the other desk that we'll hook up for the layout room and Decoder Pro after Alan teaches me how to use it.

Hey!  I got 3rd Plan It working!  Here is Thayne's layout in big, bright color and much much larger!  I didn't realize how antiquated my system was.  The file loaded in less than a second.  So nice to get new tools, and frankly, this is the busiest tool in the shop.  I opened a 50 page copy of the Callboard and thumbed through in less than 3 seconds.  Amazing!  I'm so happy!

I have tons of files to clean up and move before I can relocate the computer to my work desk.  We'll do that over the next week.  I want to get on it as soon as possible.  Here is Taylor's poor little Thomas the Tank Engine that baby Katie pulled the face off of.  Sad.  It is priority one repair in the shop tomorrow.

Computer Time!

The old computer is getting slower and less powerful by the minute.  Publishing the Callboard Magazine takes a lot of computing power for all the pages and photos.  Most of my peripherals were shot as well, including my small monitor.  Marie said she'd start looking during Black Friday and get me a deal.  That she did!

The new computer and software have arrived!

A computer is now the single most invaluable tool that I have.  Its used for notes, blogging, email, data, research, record keeping and probably the most important of all; photograph storage.  I use it daily, more than any other tool.

Your computer should be the best you can afford.  I replace mine every three years with a more current version, and I replace software as well.  Its not cheap, but I use it so much that I want to have the best I can get.  Hewlett Packard screwed me out of my $50 rebate on the last computer.  Said someone had already claimed the funds.  I claim they are idiots.  So they are out.  I've sent some Dell's back, especially the crappy laptops.  My Lenovo office laptop is incredible, so we'll go Lenovo this time.  I call it the Tank Pad. (They produce the ThinkPad brand). 

She bought me a monitor that is a much bigger and higher quality for my constantly failing eyesight.  I got a new version of Publisher, new Windows 7, a good mouse, a much better backlit keyboard for typing at night, and a mouse pad.  What fun.

The real paid with a new computer is getting it all set up which can take a week.  My 3rd Plan It software needs to be moved, which is very important.  I'll take care not to wipe out my files.

We'll get started on it one night this week.

New Tool - The Laptop Computer

Many tools are a necessity.  Hobby Knife.  Screwdrivers.  Tweezers.  Gin glass.  But a laptop?  Yes, I believe that computers are mandatory in the hobby now and the laptop even more so.  I use it for writing notes, making drawings, research, photography and DCC programing. 

 I finally sprung $300 at a Black Friday sale to get a new HP laptop.

This G56 is not the fasting unit on the market and doesn't have the most features, but it does what I need it to do and what I'll need in the near future.  Why buy any more?

 After removing it from the box, I put the battery in and hook up the power supply.  Very easy.

 There!  It now has a prominent place on the workbench.  I'll use it a lot.

 The hard part is getting it set up.  I'll have to get it on our network with security, then get it hooked up to the Internet.  Wife will have to help me I'm sure.

 Next, we have to load the software.  I need Word and Excel, then some graphic software.

Then we add the files.  I'll use the laptop as a back up for all my train files located on my main office desk unit.  That way I have my files anywhere I go.

Do you have a computer or laptop in your shop?  What is your opinion of it?  How often do you use it?  Any good tips or tricks?