Multiple PCs: How Many Machines Are Enough?

Am I just a megalomaniac ;-)

[engine]

I run four PCs here, with one using multiple monitors, and I still find there's not enough computing power on the desk. I'm often waiting for processes to complete before I can go back to a machine. Sometimes, like right now, all the machines are busy.

It's not the disk that i'm waiting for, nor is it for lack of RAM, nor processor speed (I suppose it is processing power, but I can't afford a supercomputer). Each machine has, let's call them "duties" to perform. There are many times, of course, when they've done their "duty" and they are waiting for me.

Is this normal?

How many of you run more than one machine at the same time and do you still struggle?

Am I just a megalomaniac! ;-)

[Receptional]

Well - let's see.

I have this one I am typing on... two screens.
Then there's the laptop - for meetings and in bed (The wife loves that)
Then there's the home PC (to stop everyone using my laptop)
Then there's that phone come computer thing you've seen me with, for emails and MSOffice on the move
Behind me there's the office server.
Beside that is a backup of the office server.
Goodness knows how many client machines - but to be fair there are people at most of them
Then theres some web servers off site

Nah - you're just normal Engine!

[LizaJane]

2 Desk Top PC's
2 Laptop PC's
1- New Intel Mac( which = 2 machines as we also run bootcamp/windoze)
1 Mac G4
1- Mac 6500 ( Yes, still a work horse for writing pages)

[Fiver]

sounds like it's time to cluster some processors engine!

[en.wikipedia.org...]

ahhh the practically impractical

[RonPK]

engine, I've got an old PII with 256MB RAM standing here doing nothing. Is $25 OK with you? That includes a 15" CRT and a ZIP drive built-in ;)

You will have to drop by to pick it up...

[engine]

Thanks for the genrous offer RonPK, but i'll pass, if you don't mind. ;)

Fiver - that looks interesting, but where would that fit on my desktop? LOL

Let me clarify one thing, the machines are all used by me, all the time on the desktop. I'd hate to think what would happen if it fell over on me. hehe BTW, I have not included PDAs, etc.

[percentages]

I have a single Core 2 Duo PC on my desk.

It is many trillions of times faster than me, but, I don't care. I don't feel the need to race it, especially as I know I would lose. I feel the need to do something it can't.....invent new programming!

22 years ago a contract programmer buddy said something to me when I had one of the first 8086 machines on my desk......."Don't complain about how slow it is, it is still far faster than you!"

He was right then, and now PC's are millions of times faster he is even more right. Human's don't need more speed, they need more thought!

The fastest computer that will exist for many years to come is inside our skulls......think about how to make that more efficient.....worry less about the donkey's sat on your desk!

[smells so good]

But! .. Sometimes you NEED more so you can DO more. The thought processes required to maintian equilibruim between multiple I/O devices is tremendous. And yet I agree, we need always to remember that the machine will outperform our physical efforts and so we should aspire to achieve maximum efficiency for our efforts. Programmers rule. Gee, I suddenly feel better about my one, lonely old box over here -)

RonPK - maybe we can talk ;)

[henry0]

The only extra one that everyone needs (on the top of the others):
Is the last one you had, the one you did not discard yet
and that should be used for ONLY ONE PURPOSE:
WEB RESEARCH!
Mine got FW the best AV one dreams of etc...
Nevertheless I clean it daily; spybotS&D, run AV and daily kill 10 or 15 pests
So a web surfing dedicated machine: Absolutely.
and no I do not NW any of my three desk laptops.

When I want exporting a file from machine A) to B) I FTP it to my test server :)
Paranoiac..Hmmmm?