Equipment and Software

As with anything, there is minimalist and there is… I prefer the latter. It has taken me quite a few years, but I now have what I consider an ideal “work” area – my study. There are members of my family who call it my “play pen,” and I suppose there is more truth to that than I might admit. My idea was to create a space where I could do what I do, with everything I needed to be creative and productive within reach. So, I have computers, printers, writing instruments, paper, office supplies, and calligraphy materials, and other appropriate paraphernalia conveniently placed and available. The rolltop desk, mahogany apothecary, and Dickens secretary I added as rewards for achieving personal milestones. The pictures provide an idea of my ideal work space, and, no, I never said writers are neatniks. Now, about the equipment and software you might need or want.

The essential equipment and software include a current PC – should be a Pentium II or better – and licensed software. Ideally, the PC should have at least 128 MB of RAM, a 19-inch monitor (min.), a high performance video card with a minimum of 64 MB of video RAM, and adequate storage for graphics and photos – at least an 80 GB hard disk. These are general specifications. Your requirements may be different depending upon what area you specialize in and to what extent you work on your own, i.e., freelancer or contractor. A laptop may not be out of the question too and offer some flexibility not available in the desktop. I have both, but am not so aggressive in keeping the laptop updated. By the way, if you accept permanent employment some firms are now providing laptops with the desk plug-in module as a way to encourage productivity – even issuing the laptop to their contractors. The point here is a fully equipped home office environment is beneficial and more than worth the investment.

I purchase an up-to-date PC every two and a half years. Why? First of all, time is money. I don’t want to sit around waiting for Photoshop to load or process images because it is not beneficial to my productivity. So, I step out there and buy the equipment. I also upgrade printers routinely, though I have an HP Laserjet that is at least five years old and still meets all my needs for a black and white output.

In addition to the hardware, I also keep my software current, purchase a majority of the new releases or upgrades. Again, it is purely a matter of productivity. We face a variety of issues when it comes to the software, primarily because we don’t necessarily know what software our prospective clients will be using to meet their requirements. What I did to overcome this challenge was turn to the so-called industry standards and work from there, beginning with Microsoft Office Professional. As a strong Wordperfect user, one who favored the package over Word (which I also use), I resisted this change as long as I could, but the trend was there and my personal preference had no influence. I made the change to Office. Long before that, I bought Visio too, before it was acquired by Microsoft because it had a broad base and was popular in the computer industry – well deserved I might add. That covers the basics. Now, let me give you my extended recommended list for getting started: