laptop or desktop

[moojii]

Hi guys

Do you do your writing primarily on a laptop or a desktop.

If a laptop, then what size screen is it?

What, in your opinion would be the smallest size screen on a laptop that would be useable for writing on.

Cheers.

[Nick]

Desktop for me, with my wonderful wide-screen monitor. I wouldn't feel comfortable working on a laptop for any length of time - it would literally cramp my style! I can see that they are useful if you travel a lot and/or like to work in coffee shops and such like, though.

[Don]

it would literally cramp my style!

   

I'm with Nick as far as the desktop is concerned but it's only used for editing. The actual writing is done longhand on yellow legal pads. The problem is that desktops are rapidly becoming a thing of the past as we move into the age of wireless. I should probably go buy a backup or two while they're still available.

[cswillson]

Here's a little bit of weirdness for you. I have arthritis in my neck and can't look up, barely horizontal. I struggled for years using a desktop, the struggle being that it just hurt.

I bought a decent laptop, I won't say what, but I am so glad I'm not contributing to Bill Gate's retirement fund, and do all my work with it actually in my lap while sitting in a comfortable overstuffed chair with my feet on the coffee table, looking down at it.

I spend a lot of time on my LT: bookkeeping, correspondence, business management, writing, research, and am so happy I stumbled on this comfortable solution to my peculiar handicap.

[moojii]

Here's a little bit of weirdness for you. I have arthritis in my neck and can't look up, barely horizontal. I struggled for years using a desktop, the struggle being that it just hurt.

I bought a decent laptop, I won't say what, but I am so glad I'm not contributing to Bill Gate's retirement fund, and do all my work with it actually in my lap while sitting in a comfortable overstuffed chair with my feet on the coffee table, looking down at it.

I spend a lot of time on my LT: bookkeeping, correspondence, business management, writing, research, and am so happy I stumbled on this comfortable solution to my peculiar handicap.

What size is your screen?

[wanderer]

Laptop with an external large keyboard, 15 inch screen, and an external hard drive. Does everything I need.

[510bhan]

Laptop 15" screen -- that's all. Brilliant.

[Chord]

Both, I use an iMac 27" for my main writing. I also use a macbook pro with 15" screen. The bigger ones are a bit unwieldy for lap or chair-arm balancing I find. I tend to do all my organisational stuff on the iMac, as much because it's easier with a mouse than a trackpad. The extra screen real estate is useful though. For just solid writing, the macbook is great. It's got a great battery life and fits perfectly on the tables at Starbucks with space left over for my coffee.

[Vel]

Device is not so much as important as how you use it. If you have a desktop, but a crappy chair and a badly positioned table, you're going to end up with pains in your head and shoulders from using it. Similarly, if you have a laptop in your lap and sit in an awkward way, you're not going to be able to maintain writing for long.

I use an iMac primarily to write and edit when I'm at home, and love it. It's big, my screen dims with the changing light, I've a wrist rest and a decent chair and a table at just the right height for me. I could while away hours - and do! - on the infernal thing. I find when I use my laptop I tend to pull it onto my lap and end up hunching while I type which results in a very sore Vel the next morning.

In short: It's not what you use, it's how you use it!

[protekme]

I love my big screen desk top.

I hate my laptop. As I am a fast typist, the cursor gets all over the place, and I have to watch constantly where it goes. Sometimes I realize that I am typing in the address bar or in the incoming email below. I have a mini--12" laptop. I use it only on a trip. Also, if I am at a table, I prefer to use the mouse because of the extra sensitivity of the pad. Again, if I'm not careful, my image disappears because I slightly brushed a finger somewhere. 

To send messages, the window is so small, and i only see a couple of lines at a time with all that publicity taking the top and sides. That's what I'm using right now. So I make this message short.

[JewelAS53]

I love my big screen desk top.

I hate my laptop. As I am a fast typist, the cursor gets all over the place, and I have to watch constantly where it goes. Sometimes I realize that I am typing in the address bar or in the incoming email below. I have a mini--12" laptop. I use it only on a trip. Also, if I am at a table, I prefer to use the mouse because of the extra sensitivity of the pad. Again, if I'm not careful, my image disappears because I slightly brushed a finger somewhere. 

To send messages, the window is so small, and i only see a couple of lines at a time with all that publicity taking the top and sides. That's what I'm using right now. So I make this message short.

if your cursor is going all over the place something is running in the background that you don't need. my laptop always start up the samsung campatibility software when it's booted up and my cursor goes everywhere. part of my boot up procedure has become to shut that process down. the first wrong thing that happens reminds me to do that.

[JewelAS53]

The smaller and more mobile the better. 1st prize is it can fit in my handbag. (purse). My hubby calls me gizmo girl. i type notes into the memo software on my phone when we're out on a date. i am using my phone now! Everything must use compatible software then i am the proverbial pig.

[2par]

Wish I had  laptop, but I have the opposite problem with my neck. I must keep my head up and back or the squiggly bones in my neck will cut into certain nerves and I could become paralyzed or even dead. However, I'm really uncomfortable in my chair at the desktop but have to put up with it.

[protekme]

if your cursor is going all over the place something is running in the background that you don't need. my laptop always start up the samsung campatibility software when it's booted up and my cursor goes everywhere. part of my boot up procedure has become to shut that process down. the first wrong thing that happens reminds me to do that.

Thanks, Jewel, I'll look into it. I'm no wizard, but I'll find out.

[wanderer]

protekme, if you are using Windows, type "msconfig" into the search programs box. You will then see options for disabling start up programs.