For those with garage computers

[widerberg]

Hi, All:

Thinking about throwing Ubuntu Linux on an old dinosaur of a computer of mine and putting it into the garage. I know some of you have garage computers.

Aside from an Internet connection and some kind of browser, what kind of software are you guys/girls running? Anything garage-specific, tool-specific, or really cool?

I'm thinking possibly a tool inventory program of some kind (although I think I'd be too lazy to keep up with it) and PDFs of shop manuals, repair manuals, etc. What else?

Bo

 

[djkeev]

I dont have a specific garage computer. My WiFi is strong in the garage so internet isn't an issue. I only recently started taking my iPad out into the garage when I work. All of my digital music is on it so I stream music via Bluetooth to my garage stereo, I can search the internet to find anwers to questions without tracking goop through the house to my laptop.
I have a screen protector, a case and I'm careful to keep it away from carb sprays and other harsh chemicals.

Couldn't be happier with it.

A garage inventory sounds like a lot of work, probably good for the insurance company if you get robbed or the garage burns to the ground. I'd keep a copy of said inventory in another spot as well for if the garage goes, so goes the inventory on the computer!

Dave

 

[unluckyty]

I just started using my iPad in the garage. The Mrs. Bought me under cabinet clock radio iPad mount, that I put in garage instead. Haven't used it much yet, good for listing to music, and searching the web when working on cars. Bonus, has a remote control with it to use for shuffle, volume, pause music, pandora etc.

Greg

 

[Falcon67]

I use a good Dell laptop with Windows 7. Firefox (usually - the rapid fire updates and the breaking of apps and plugins are starting to piss me off), Visio, MS word, Fireworks, Dreamweaver (lots of web work), simulation software (Engine Analyzer + Drag Analyzer ), PDF manuals, etc. For tunes I have an iHome iPhone dock with Pandora or Spotify.

Garage/tool inventory is a photo archive on a flash drive.

I use Linux a lot at work (Redhat) for various things but it's too much work and tinkering for the shop. I just want to use the computer to get things done, not screw with setups, installs, config files, etc. I don't care much for any of the desktops either - I'm a command line type. For non-heavy duty stuff, I just want a computer. The laptop comes up quick from standby, I log in, play, slam the lid and leave when done. If I want to do technical hacking, I might as well be at work. If I hose the laptop up, I take it to the university Help Desk and let them fix it.

 

[volvo]

..
I few thumb drives are always handy, super cheap these days.

 

[SMKS]

I used to have a garage computer, but it recently died from age. I now just bring my laptop in the garage.

Here's what I use frequently:
-itunes, for listening to podcasts
-PDF manuals
-Internet browser
-Ebay turbo lister

 

[Outlander]

Open Office if you don't want to go with Microsoft Office, browser, pdf viewer, music and access to shared storage. Shop computers can take a beating, so using a beater makes me feel less likely to cry when I smack the screen with a plank of wood or spray WD-40 all over the keyboard

 

[softailgarage]

I use an old Dell PC on the bench. Once a month I'll disconnect everything, open it up and blow all the **** out, twice a month if i've been doing alot of sanding or saw work. I just downloaded a tool inventory program from another garage site, PM me if you want a link.

 

[widerberg]

Thanks for the great ideas, guys. I appreciate it. I'd love an iPad, but currently I'm making do with a Nook Color due to cost. One day, though. For now, I think I'm right on track with the beater I'm thinking of sticking out there. I hadn't thought of the music library which seems really popular, so I'll have to dig up some old computer speakers. Engine analyzer software is a great idea, so I'll look into that, too.

Dave, love the avatar! What've you got? I've got a '69 Beetle at the moment and used to have a '68 Squareback. My passion is old Brit cars, but I do have a thing for aircooled VWs.

Softtailgarage, thanks for the offer. I'll PM you. Like I said, I'll probably be too lazy to really use it, but it couldn't hurt to install it. If it's a Windows program, I can probably run it on Linux using Wine.

 

[gabedad]

I use stuff like picasa for pictures.

things like sketch up may help you

http://sketchup.google.com/download/

Acrobat reader is also one

 

[nehog]

Older notebook. Personally Windows (XP) is the only way to go, because stuff like diagnostic software (I've several packages) won't run on Linux.

 

[Kevin54]

I have internet in the garage along with the standard software that came with it, but I have DeltaCad for doing detailed drawings if I need it. Then of course the bookmarked sites for truck parts and tractor parts if needed.

 

[Jagmandave]

I do take the laptop down to the garage to look up parts or sometimes a "how to" on a specific repair - it's amazing what you can find on You tube anymore!

As to inventory, I just took a digital pic of each drawer, then several of all the boards and shelves - I figure if nothing else it will help jog my memory and help with the insurance settlement if something happens.

 

[KPSquared]

Auto enginuity it's my main reason for wanting a computer in the garage. Also for updating/changing tunes on my diesel.

Lots of manuals in pdf. Lots of exploded views of stuff.

Music for sure.

browsing forums, google, etc for instant info when I have a problem.

My new cabinet system (once I get it built) will have a filtered cabinet for my tower to sit in to keep the dust out.

 

[gt40mkii]

Open Office if you don't want to go with Microsoft Office,

Use LibreOffice instead. LibreOffice was formed when the majority of OpenOffice developers left the project, concerned that Oracle's purchase of Sun Microsystems would threaten Open Office's free and open status.

LibreOffice should be considered the benchmark for open-source MSOffice-like tools.

browser, pdf viewer, music and access to shared storage. Shop computers can take a beating, so using a beater makes me feel less likely to cry when I smack the screen with a plank of wood or spray WD-40 all over the keyboard

If it were me, I'd keep the computer in an enclosed cabinet with filtered, forced-air circulation. Your PC will live MUCH longer than if its exposed to the garage's environment. The keyboard and screen can be kept outside the enclosure, but the computer itself should be protected.

Myself, I've taken two approaches to the garage PC. The first was a Dell Poweredge server which was too noisy to run in the house, so I ran it in the garage. I used it for viewing PDFs, music, and Internet Access running first Fedora and later Ubuntu.

Now I have a small single-board computer running Ubuntu Linux. It has little more than enough horsepower to run a remote terminal application. it connects over the network to a virtual Linux system running under VMWare on my file server in the office. I like it because the box is completely sealed, needing no cooling. It's about the size of a paperback book.

 

[gt40mkii]

A garage inventory sounds like a lot of work, probably good for the insurance company if you get robbed or the garage burns to the ground. I'd keep a copy of said inventory in another spot as well for if the garage goes, so goes the inventory on the computer!

Keeping an off-site copy of important files is very wise, regardless of whether its for a garage PC or anything else.

And it needn't be expensive or time-consuming. Here are a couple of ideas:

• "Cloud-Based Storage" -- This is the latest buzzword for storing your files on a server somewhere on the Internet. It's been around for a LONG time. I use a service called "dropbox". You can get 2GB of storage for free. You can do an aweful lot with 2 GB so long as you're not dealing with music or video. I store files out there that6 I think I might need access to regardless of my location. I don't keep anything sensitive out there though, since I don't trust any company's security. If you do store sensitive information out there, I'd encrypt it using strong Encryption. I use AES-128-CBC with a 256-bit key. If its good enough for Top Secret infromation, it's good enough for me.
• DIY -- I have a 1TB RAID volume on my file server at home. It gets backed up nightly to a removeable 1TB harddrive. Once a week, that drive gets taken to the bank and put into a safe-deposit-box. In the box is a second 1TB drive that I take home and use for the next week. That way I always have a backup at home that is at most, 24-hours old and a backup in my safe deposit box that is no more than one week old.

In both cases, if there is a disaster (fire, tornado, theft, etc... My really important stuff is intact at the bank. The disaster would have to take out both my house and the bank for me to have a total loss. (And the bank and my house are many miles apart.)

 

[NUTTSGT]

I merely take my laptop out there. I'll ocassional hide out in the garage and surf the net. One thing I do need to do is another tool inventory. I haven't done one in years.

 

[djkeev]

Dave, love the avatar! What've you got? I've got a '69 Beetle at the moment and used to have a '68 Squareback. My passion is old Brit cars, but I do have a thing for aircooled VWs.

Off topic but I've got a.....
74 Super Beetle Convertible
69 Karmann Ghia Hardtop
70 Karmann Ghia Convertible

Dave

 

[Gary S]

I have ethernet run to my garage, and I installed a spare computer out there. I have never powered it up or used it since installation.
The only good thing is that the extra computer is no longer taking up space in my house.

 

[gt40mkii]

I have ethernet run to my garage, and I installed a spare computer out there. I have never powered it up or used it since installation.
The only good thing is that the extra computer is no longer taking up space in my house.

You could have thrown it in the trash and saved yourself the trouble.

 

[Greatbear]

While my other computers are home grown, out in the garage I have a cheap refurbed (140 bux, couldn't pass it up) HP business desktop running Win 7 and an older but still serviceable 15" LCD display. It's ideal for out there, I installed all my usual app suites beyond what is garage oriented. I have an extensive LAN in the house but rely on WiFi (for now) for garage connectivity, though the distance makes it somewhat dicey. The little desktop case sits on my side cabinet with the display on top, I putt out a drawer to use as a keyboard tray.

For the basement workshop I have an almost identical setup, except the PC is home made. Same side cabinet as a stand, same using a drawer as a keyboard tray. If I need mobility, I have a couple laptops.

 

[ScaldedDog]

No cool software, but I just use the garage computer to RDP into my desktop in the house. That way all my stuff is on exactly one computer, and a many year old computer running XP is all I need in the garage, and I get modern performance.

Mark

 

[Outlander]

Use LibreOffice instead. LibreOffice was formed when the majority of OpenOffice developers left the project, concerned that Oracle's purchase of Sun Microsystems would threaten Open Office's free and open status.

LibreOffice should be considered the benchmark for open-source MSOffice-like tools..

Interesting...I will check this out!

 

[RobSmith]

I had one in the garage for about 2 months.....load of ****. I can do that in the house. I would rather work on stuff in the garage. I found Garage Journal in the house... in the garage I found more friggin work!

 

[Tech Guy]

I have wifi so I just take the net book out with me. Goes back in the house when I am done so it doesnt get beat up.

 

[Gary S]

Use LibreOffice instead. LibreOffice was formed when the majority of OpenOffice developers left the project, concerned that Oracle's purchase of Sun Microsystems would threaten Open Office's free and open status.

LibreOffice should be considered the benchmark for open-source MSOffice-like tools.

.

I agree. I've been using LibreOffice since last year. It is a great piece of software, and it is free.

 

[Steves32]

I have a Gateway laptop in the garage. I rarely use it though. By the time I turn it on & it boots up, I could have gone in house, looked up part & be back in garage w/ part number & a beer in hand.