The SMB NOW Blog

Author: Bill Rogers

Graphic Design Systems For Small Businesses

December 6, 2007 by Bill Rogers Leave a Comment

Small businesses tend to operate on a tight budget, so when the decision is made to rent or purchase new hardware, it isn’t made lightly. With choices between Macintosh, Windows, or Linux for software, and the choice between Apple or IBM or Dell or one of a dozen other manufacturers for hardware, there are a lot of factors that can make this sort of thing a difficult decision. Budgeting for new or even used hardware is a question of balancing the dollars against the pros and cons of each upgrade.

In the 80’s, Macs were the undeniable choice for any professional graphic designer or pre-press studio. Today, though, after decades of advances on both the Windows and Macintosh side of the fence, the operating systems are much closer in terms of capabilities, and will happily co-exist on the same network. Linux, while having the undeniably huge bonus of being free, has a glaring flaw in the fact that because millions of dollars weren’t invested in making it as good as it can be, it’s unreliable in many situations as the software of choice. Apple makes all the hardware and software for their Macs, which some would say is a good thing as it leads to better compatability, while Windows supporters will tell you that the benefit of the ability to run on any variety of PCs leads to more choice in your system specifications and better value for your money.

There are arguments between portable and desktop computers as well. The arguments for a portable laptop are obvious. Laptops can be taken to clients, are easily transportable between home and work, and take up a lot less space — meaning you don’t have to set aside an area for them. If portability isn’t a concern though, there’s really no reason at all to consider buying a laptop. The disadvantages are many, the foremost being cost. Desktops are just a better value at every end of the spectrum. Desktop machines can have much faster processors that would generate too much heat for a laptop, you can stuff more RAM in them, they offer faster and larger HDDs and the option to have more than one, and more powerful graphic cards. Let’s not forget the benefit of having a 23″ monitor when you’re working with graphics.

Each side of the fence has distinct advantages and disadvantages, but in the end it would seem that if cost is your primary concern, a Windows-based system is the way to go. If you have a little more leeway in your budget and you want a system guaranteed to perform with no hiccups, you might want to consider a Mac. Each person’s individual situation is going to influence their decision one way or another, so weigh your priorities and requirements, do a little research, and figure out what is best for you.

If you aren’t ready to commit yet still need a computer now to do your work, you could try a laptop rental or desktop computer rental and have a test drive. Computer rental websites will deliver your computer to your home or work, and the examples shown above both carry a full line of both Macintosh and Windows-based computers and laptops.

Tagged: computer rentals, laptop rentals, smbnow

Utilizing Your Day To The Fullest

October 2, 2007 by Bill Rogers Leave a Comment

Something I suffered from in the past was lack of an effective time management strategy for my work day. A good time management strategy will help you to accomplish what you want to accomplish in a day faster, and it will help you get more individual tasks completed daily. Here’s a list of some techniques to help you better utilize the time you have:

* Create a list of tasks to complete each day
Plan ahead and compile a list of things you want to get done every day. Throughout your day go through and consult your list, and check off tasks as you complete them.
* Put follow-up items on your list for the next day or two
If you have a task that you just can’t squeeze in today, go ahead and start an advance list and put it on tomorrow or the day after’s agenda.
* Bring forward unfinished work from the previous day
Items on your agenda that you haven’t completed can be added to the next day’s agenda and finish them then.
*Keep track of due dates
Use your list to keep track of when tasks need to be completed.
* Keep a list of monthly priorities
A list of things you need to do between one month and the next will be helpful in compiling your list of daily activities.
* Keep track of long-term commitments
Something so far in the future that it couldn’t be placed on your daily, tomorrow, or monthly list needs to be kept track of somehow as well.
* Keep your work area clean and organized
Lack of organization will lead to a lot of time wasted when you’re searching for something you need.
* Keep all your current work in a single area
Multitasking is a necessity, it happens. Make yours go smoother by keeping all your resources for your current projects in a single location.
* Get rid of old documents that you no longer need
Try to keep the amount of files you have on-hand to a bare minimum. Throw out the stuff from a few months ago that you will never need to reference again.

Not all of these strategies will work for everyone, but I think that if you give it some effort they can all have a positive impact on your work efficiency.

sources: Tom Mochal, Tech Republic

Tagged: small business, SMB, time management

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