Which human interface products do you use?
I use Logitech mice - currently MX Revolution (truly awesome mouse)
...and a few VX Nano mice (beautifully designed, extremely light and responsive,
I can use it ALL day long and it has really saved my hand and wrist!)
I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone that uses a mouse for long periods of time!
I generally use mice even with laptops, as I hate using trackpads ... Multitouch
or not! Keyboards, various Logitech versions - I really like the S510 and the diNovo
Edge at the moment, as they don’t get in the way. I have quite a few others. I use
Wacom A4 and A3 tablets, although I have been converted to their Bamboo as it doesn’t
take up much room and is portable.
...in my opinion, Wacom devices are simply the best for feel, response, sensitivity
etc. I’ve tried most things, and nothing comes close. I have started using a couple
of 3D input devices, but after all these years (I’m now getting on a bit), frankly
I still prefer mice/tablet combinations.
Which computers do you use?
I use Apple Macs and Window’s based PC’s. I have used Macs ever since they were launched
in 1984, and Apple II’s a great deal before that. In fact, I have used computers
just about all my life. The first computer my high school ever had was one I designed
and built (Intel 4040, then 8080).
Yes, I was there at the beginning with the ‘build you own boards - Z80 and 6502’,
COSMAC 1800, S100 card systems, then Commodore PET, NASCOM1-II, TRS-80’s, Northstar
Horizon’s... Really fun days. Just getting a ‘computer’ to boot up from you own boot-strap
ROM was miraculous, the sense of achievement was huge. By comparison, everyone has
it pretty easy these days...
Okay, I admit it! I am a computer nerd, geek! Call it what you like.
Guilty as charged...
I’ve always loved computers; using them, designing them, building, programming, assembling,
collecting, adapting. They changed my life. I don’t care what make or type, and I
don’t care who knows it...
I have worked in quite a few areas of the computer industry, until illness forced
me to change direction. I am now doing what I wanted to do when I finally retired.
When I left school, and having to make directional choices at college, I had quite
a few choices: maths, electronics, mechanical engineering, music, art and illustration.
But, it was no good, computers had me by the jugular. Strangely, I’ve stayed in touch
with all those choices to some degree.
I am now doing what I always
wanted to do when I retired...
Anyway, I do most of my 3D/photorealistic work on PC’s... Since Apple integrated
Intel CPU’s I have completed much more work on the Mac platform. I do run some other
applications on Macs, and have found they work very well. But, mostly it’s true to
say that I use Windows based PC’s for illustration 3D work - it’s just a personal
preference. I use the Adobe Suite on both Windows and Apple Macs...
When I can, and the weather is nice, I like to work in my garden using a fairly powerful
laptop. It’s fine for modelling, 2D and general business work. Modelling is what
takes up most of my time. I have a render farm which takes care of the seriously
processor intensive tasks. Overnight, most of my computers are pressed into render
service, running remote render batches which I set up during the day. Some of the
render nodes run for days and in some cases weeks just on one project.
I mainly use my Macs for business work and also for producing documentation, but
I use either really. I’m not an Apple or Windows zealot - I just use whichever is
best suited to the task at hand. I have no problems using either, I feel comfortable
with both. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses...
For some reason, I have not really ventured into Linux. Don’t ask me why... Not really
sure. I haven’t really had the time or the need I suppose...
Which computer hardware do you use?
I tend to build my own systems, all except the
render farm, which is rack-based. I do beta test some hardware for certain manufacturers
(no names).
My two main workstations are both Intel i7’s, overclocked with 8GB really fast Corsair
memory, booting from Intel 256GB Solid State Drives.
The video cards vary as again I beta-test certain cards for both the main contenders,
but are all high-spec. Living on a small island, nearly all my systems run off or
through a few MGE Pulsar Revolution UPS’s which I have found to be superb!
Ask Griff
