Keith

"I'm contemplating a computer system upgrade.  Should I fork over the
requisite cash to get a laptop or should I get a super desktop for a
fraction of the price?"

Depends on your situation and needs. If you need to work away from home
base at client sites or for your studies, then yes, a laptop. But where I
work there is NO WAY repeat NO WAY an alien PC can be plugged into the
corporate LAN, at least not without being taken away for 3 days by IT, all
installed software tested for valid licenses, sociability and
compatibility, and the pc itself scanned, disinfected and preferably
reformatted. So don't imagine you'll be walking into most sites and
plugging in your own PC, especially if it has been anywhere near any
students.

More generally, here in Oz you can get about twice the ooomph for the same
dollars for a desktop, and a laptop isn't expandable. At home I've got
three desktops and one laptop on a peer to peer LAN. All three desktops
not infrequently get bits swapped around, and the last major upgrade we
got a new motherboard, CPU, video card and RAM, and installed it in an
existing case, kept the power supply, HD, screen, etc. Assorted older
components went into one of the other desktops, and some bits from there
went to a starving student friend. In addition to that upgrade in the last
year I've bought two hard discs, a DVD/CD burner, a couple of fancy CPU
coolers, and a 400w power supply.  I'll probably end up with almost a
spare PC less screen, just as spare parts. I've even got a spare hard disc
to swap in in case one fails (disk imaging software means I can get my
wife's business going again on another PC in about 30 mins, vs minimum one
day for a rebuild, format, reinstall and reconfigure).

It's simpler than leggo, sewing patterns or most recipes, especially if
you have a teenager or two around to sort you out. I doubt I'll ever buy a
whole PC again, certainly not a brand name. And you can't do any of that
with laptops - our one laptop has had some memory added, and a USB LAN
gizmo, but otherwise cannot be upgraded, at least not cheaply. It  is
still running Win98 (not even SE), USB 1.1 and increasingly we find
software on the other PC's won't run on the laptop. An expensive
replacement looms!

So I'd only go the laptop route if you have a clear need for portability,
bearing in mind what I said about not being able to plug into coprporate
LANs.

"My perception is that most firms have a records manager/conflict function
that is not associated with the library and research.  Is that a correct
perception?"

Up here in Oz it is very rare to find one business unit doing library and
RM, but many in RM have come from the library world. Many organisations
have shut down their libraries altogether.

"should I attempt to find a class in imaging technology at the moment or
be patient and see what develops in the library curriculum?"

Basic imaging knowledge is very useful indeed, if only so you can persuade
people that imaging is not a synonym for RM or even DM. It also helps
establish your street cred with IT people, scanning bureau and equipment
sales reps etc. I'd go for it, up here most library curriculums don't
include it, or if they do it's out of date or wrongly (wait for it!)
focussed for RM / business needs.

Hope this helps.


Glenn

Glenn Sanders MRMA
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Australia

These views are mine alone. They may or may not be those of any
previous or present employers or clients. I don't know. If I'd asked
and they'd agreed, I would have signed it "Bloggs and Co and
Glenn". Or whatever. But I haven't, so I didn't.



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