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| Derick's Workstation |
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Page 8 of 8 Software & OS: This is an area you probably have already decided on and/or don't have any control over. Generally, a design firm handles this for its employees. If you freelance or are a student, its likely to be whatever you can get your hands on. I currently run Windows 2003 Web Server, configured as a workstation. There are quite a few guides on doing this floating around, so I won't cover it here. Reasons for doing so are a more responsive GUI (less clutter and no bloated interface, by default at least), a large increase in SCSI disk performance (though XP SP2 promises to fix this issue with XP Professional). There are significant performance advantages to a Linux setup for many design/DCC (digital content creation) packages and I will be looking into a dual boot setup soon for this purpose. In the software department, I run a wide range of software both on my personal systems and at school. This, again, will likely be decided for you if you're not self-representative. My current heavy use apps are Adobe CS (Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign mainly), Macromedia Studio MX (Primarily Flash & Dreamweaver), Adobe After Effects 6, Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 (I also use Final Cut Pro on the Mac side) and Alias Maya 6. Everything in here is pretty much daily. Personal favorites that aren't taught at school but that I have a bit of experience with (and like to use for various things) include Discreet Combustion 3, Newtek Lightwave 7.5 (and 8) and Corel Draw 11 (or newer). Apple's shake is also a compelling compositing option (but latest versions are MacOS and Linux only, so I'll get more into that once I get a Linux setup up and running). Again, this is mostly up to you. People swear by Maya over 3D Studio Max and vice versa. Same with Shake and Combustion. Same with Illustrator and Freehand. I can only suggest using what feels best to you. This goes for hardware too. In the context of a design workstation, the computer and all it contains are no better or worse than a mechanic's toolchest and his collection of tools. Use what works the best, not what gives you the best bragging rights. Work Environment & Interface: While I could write volumes on this (and maybe I will down the road), there are a few basics I figure I should throw into this article since this is just as important (if not more so) than a hot piece of hardware in your rack or beside your desk. If you get tired and irritable quickly, who cares how fast your renders are? Your work won't be good if you can't be comfortable working on your machine (especially if you have to spend long hours there like I do). While I don't claim to be an ergonomics professional, I have worked long hours in front of many a computer and have devised a few tips and techniques to make it as comfortable and productive as possible: First, make sure everything you need is within arms reach, if possible. Nothing screws up workflow like having to get up and go across the room to grab a test print or to throw a magazine in the scanner for examples or filler images. I learned how to type on a keyboard by playing a piano (in terms of ergonomics anyway). You should type as if there is a bubble holding up the palm of your hand just slightly above the keyboard. Your forearms should be close to horizontal (parallel to the ground). I swear by split keyboards but some people can't stand them. Sitting reclined in the chair with the keyboard on my lap is a habit I'm guilty of on occasion but it really isn't that great for long term work, despite seeming comfortable. Sit up straight. It's easier to concentrate and you can type faster and mouse more accurately on your desk than on your lap. Your video monitor should be centered as much as possible but you should look slightly down on it (it should be tilted slightly up). If you're dead center, your eyes tend to get fatigued faster and you open yourself up to more glare from other light sources. Your audio monitors (speakers) should be positioned at ear level and should be, ideally, twice as far apart as you are from them. This is merely an ideal in my experience and makes a small difference over other positions so long as they're more or less at ear level. If possible, light the wall behind your monitor. Even though you're focused on the screen, light behind it will increase the length of time you can work without becoming fatigued. Light your keyboard/work area well if you're working after sunset. Get as much natural light in your work area as possible if you're not. Finally, remember your gear should work for you, not the other way around. Don't get locked into a piece of gear because a review tells you it's nice, or even if you just spent a large sum of money on it. If it's not working for you, lose it! If you can't get that pricey Wacom tablet to work for you, use a mouse. If you can't seem to draw with a mouse right, get a tablet. You are the most important element in your designs, not your CPU or graphics board or input media. Keep this in mind and your purchases and technical decisions will make a lot more sense down the road. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           
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