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#1 2008-11-06 14:51:47
The Room
Calling all room users!
What do you want to see in your SUCS room?
At the moment we have 8 desktops, 4 new, 4 old. We're considering replacing the 4 old desktops with something a more modern, and at least some of the CRTs (see the shopping list) with shiny new TFTs but want your opinions first!
Should we replace all 4 desktops? Should we replace some of the desktops and get rid of some to make more space for laptop users? Should we not bother with the desktops and just provide more laptop space?
Oh, and all that Junk is in the way of course! Volunteers to sort though it so we can get rid of everything we don't need are more than welcome! Some of it is already on the Junk List so go claim it and take it away!
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#2 2008-11-06 15:04:27
- foshjedi2004
- From: High Wycombe
Re: The Room
We should replace everything with a statue of Tux!
Seriously though, Personally I think if we have the 4 desktops running at the back around where neptunium, uranium and then where debsilver and old debsilver are resting then we have a length of desk where we can have connections for laptops. I'll come up with a diagram later and post it in this thread.
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#3 2008-11-06 15:05:35
Re: The Room
Workstations with TFT screens can probably be treated as dual-purpose desk positions, since you can probably fit a laptop on the desk in front of the TFT (of course, that doesn't account for the fact that people using the workstations will probably opt for the TFT screens in preference to the CRTs anyway 
.
How about getting a statue of Frosty (or maybe Tux is more appropriate?) urinating champagne in the middle of the room? :-P
Last edited by firefury (2008-11-06 15:10:00)
- Steve
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#4 2008-11-06 15:09:27
- foshjedi2004
- From: High Wycombe
Re: The Room
Isn't it Champagne?
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#6 2008-11-06 15:18:10
Re: The Room
Fosh is obviously case sensitive.
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#7 2008-11-06 15:22:43
- foshjedi2004
- From: High Wycombe
Re: The Room
cmc: he originally spelt it Champaign
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#8 2008-11-06 19:03:01
Re: The Room
I'm really not sure about some of the choices, they seem a little overpriced, here's some of my thoughs:
Cases; replace with http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143893 - about £30 cheaper
debsilver RAM: Surely it shouldn't be this expensive?
Motherboard: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140947 - aboit £8 cheaper
Card Reader: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/108453 about £4 cheaper
DVD Drive: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/138750 a few quid cheaper
Keyboard and mouse: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132140 £10 cheaper, in a bundle, wireless(!) and no MS branding
I had written this up nicely but it seems the back button messes things up on the forums, i did manage to work out the savings though: £267.96 - That's a whole other machine or some serious CPU/RAM spec upgrades. Sounds good to me.
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#9 2008-11-06 19:19:37
Re: The Room
benbread wrote:
Cases; replace with http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143893 - about £30 cheaper
200W sounds a little underspecced to me... Has anyone looked at the power requirements for the components?
debsilver RAM: Surely it shouldn't be this expensive?
ECC RAM is preferred for a server - it's more expensive, but it does mean it won't silently corrupt your data and cause "weird shit" problems.
Keyboard and mouse: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132140 £10 cheaper, in a bundle, wireless(!) and no MS branding
Hmm, do we really want wireless? I can see it causing all sorts of fun and games when keyboards get switched around and/or lost.
- Steve
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#10 2008-11-06 19:25:33
Re: The Room
Changes:
Case: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/134832 Same price, funky styling, 400W
Keyboard and Mouse: True wireless could be trouble, i just chose it because it's a bargain, how about http://www.ebuyer.com/product/118438 and http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132130 - the Mouse looks rather nice as it's rubber coated - combined cost of £6.87. - So another £25 saved
Last edited by benbread (2008-11-06 19:27:31)
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#11 2008-11-06 20:19:27
Re: The Room
benbread wrote:
Cases; replace with http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143893 - about £30 cheaper
No problem with the cheaper cases, but cheap PSU's are false economy, they just cant cope with the 24/7 loads (and heat) we put them though. Can you can find a cheaper case+PSU with a known half decent brand PSU? 80+ rated a plus
benbread wrote:
debsilver RAM: Surely it shouldn't be this expensive?
Its ECC ram, and not 'current' thus more expensive. If you can find equivalent ram cheaper....
benbread wrote:
Motherboard: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140947 - aboit £8 cheaper
Card Reader: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/108453 about £4 cheaper
DVD Drive: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/138750 a few quid cheaper
Fair enough.. my only query would be with the difference is graphics performances between the GMA950 and the GMA3100... can anyone that cares about such things jump in here?
benbread wrote:
Keyboard and mouse: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132140 £10 cheaper, in a bundle, wireless(!) and no MS branding
Wireless is just daft for our use. They *have* to be wired. Also I think getting a decent mouse & keyboard is well worth while. If you've used the brand and rate it, fair enough.
Last edited by rollercow (2008-11-07 08:23:22)
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#12 2008-11-07 00:26:32
- wedge
- From: Swansea, UK
Re: The Room
benbread wrote:
Changes:
how about http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132130 ?
That keyboard looks tiny. I know that's probably a good thing as the current ones are ancient behemoths that take two men to lift, but 304mm is really not very long, I guess I'm just being old-fashioned with my dislike of laptop-style keyboards.
Saving the world so you don't have to.
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#13 2008-11-07 08:11:41
Re: The Room
The desktops that are being replaced were built back in 2002 and have been running 24/7 since then. You have to assume that anything we buy now may well be in use for the next 6 or so years.
Thus aim here isn't to build the cheapest desktops possible, rather a solid reliable machine with a good spec for a good price.
Other important considerations are usability, heat and noise.
I've used my share of cheap keyboards and mice, they don't tend to last all that long even in my hands (let alone the beating such things take in The Room) and they feel horrible to use.
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#14 2008-11-07 09:12:05
Re: The Room
Oh, no numeric keypads on those keyboards either... And I kind of agree with Wedge - I'm not a big fan of tiny keyboards that don't separate stuff like the arrow keys and pageup/down into separate clusters. Given the choice, I'd go for MS Natural keyboards coz they are fantastic, but they are possibly a bit too pricey for SUCS and probably wouldn't fit in front of the CRTs unless the desks are pulled away from the wall a bit.
- Steve
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