What's on your Garage PC?

[vlpronj]

OK, I figure we've got...
(*)home mechanics using OBD scan software.
(*)eBay guys need picture editing and sorting
(*)designers, woodworkers, heck almost everybody can use SketchUp
(*)anybody watching movies or playing audio from the PC has players for that


What software do you have (and use) on your Garage PC?
What have you found indispensable for what you do in the garage?
I'm setting up a "new" one, but it's just an old Dell laptop, with only a 12Gb HDD, 1.5Ghz Celeron M, 2Gb RAM, and Win XP SP3.
I've got...

(*)Jarte (fastloading, small word processor built on WordPad)
(*)LibreOffice - Writer, Calc, & Impress (MS-compatible Office Suite)
(*)ACDSee 5.0 Image Viewer (last version I paid for, I like it)
(*)MicroGrafx Picture Publisher (I've got PhotoShop, need to use it more)
(*)CyberCalc (weights & measurements conversion calculator)
(*)EasyScan (simple scanner software)

I'm undecided about SketchUp, but it would give me a chance to play with it more. I use eBay a lot, so I use ACDSee to view pix and do quick adjustments (crop, exposure). EasyScan will be nice to digitize owner's manuals when I set up a scanner for that PC.
I still need to decide whether to buy a multi-card reader, since I work with a few older digital cameras, or just use the 99 cent SDHC readers I already have a few of.

I've got a bunch of other PC maintenance stuff, too. They aren't garage-related, I just like to have them on most PCs I use...

(*)SequioaView (view file sizes in directory - graphic chart)
(*)Recuva (deleted file recovery tool)
(*)Defraggler (disk defrag tool)
(*)Volumouse (lets me use CTRL key and scroll wheel on mouse to adjust volume)
(*)AVG 2011, Spybot Search & Destroy, AdAware (all free)
(*)Daemon Tools Lite (use CD images from HDD, USB, etc)
(*)Glary Utilities, 7Zip
(*)mute.exe (just lets you 2x click an icon to quickly mute system audio)

Nice things about the Dell I'm using:

• I'm planning to get an expansion module to hold a 2nd HDD; ~$15 on eBay. That'll let me store a lot more files out there.
• It has 4 USB ports. So I'll have it up on a higher shelf, with a cable running to a USB hub at working level, for a disposable keyboard & mouse, flash drives, card readers, etc., and can still have some items plugged directly into the PC.
• It's got an s-video port; I'll run that to an old CRT TV on top of some cabinets.
• It's old enough to still have serial and parallel ports on the back; I can play around with PC controlled mechanisms with my kit74

 

[marty_p]

DAMN, that sounds like lots of work and no play! Log off and enjoy a frosty mug...

Seriously, many GJ posts mention a few of the above. I suggest messaging those folks and getting their personal opinions! Just my 2¢...

 

[Interex]

pr0n

 

[Hud]

What is pron?

 

[ducati]

What is pron?

A computer that is missing spell check.

 

[Hud]

Thats funny I don't care who you are!

 

[paranoid56]

my mac just has music, wifi connection for streaming music, some fav sites to look at and thats about it. i mainly use it so i dont have to go in the house to use the net and to listen to music.

 

[Gary S]

My spare computers are still taking up space in a closet in my house because I haven't found a need or reason to put one of them in the garage. I wired my garage into my house network, but it isn't being used because I can't find a reason to haul a computer out there and connect it. It would just occupy valuable space on my workbench.

 

[Steve from Socal]

I have most of the manuals for my cars and machines on the garage computer and at MY age, being able to enlarge the page or a drawing is priceless!

Steve

 

[sammm]

pr0n

What took you so long?

 

[BLUBAYOU]

My old laptop isn't in its garage home yet, but it will have basic functions for internet, saved manuals, obd scan tool, sketchup perhaps and music.

 

[Ronus]

Sketch Up
My Car maintenance
All my pdf manuals

 

[V-10 Killer]

1.) RCBS.Load Ballistic Software
2.) Hodgdons BLAST Ballistic Software
3.) HP Tuners OBDII Tuning Software
4.) iTunes
5.) XM Radio

 

[vlpronj]

DAMN, that sounds like lots of work and no play!

That IS how I play sometimes - I fix up PCs (especially laptops) that don't need much work, then sell the laptops on eBay and give the towers to people who need them. Having a PC in the garage gives me a way to play music, watch how-to videos, sell & search on eBay, and print packing slips (I've got a cheap laser printer out there). Keeps me from having to stop what I'm doing and go in the house, which usually means getting knee deep in something else, and forgetting about what I was working on in the garage til I lock up at night.

I set up an e-mail account for that PC, so I can e-mail myself from work (or wherever) and it'll go right to that PC. I'll also have a webcam on there; not for going online - just to record what I do if I'm working on a project.

I really look forward to having it to print items to PDF, scan stacks of manuals (I've got an ADF scanner, so I'll just cut the pages out). I may still keep the original manuals in a notebook binder; don't know yet.

Putting the laptop on a shelf just above eye level, above my workbenches helps a lot with the space it takes up. I have an external keyboard with trackpad that rests on a small ledge just above the toolboxes on the workbenches. If I really want to get tricky, I have a wireless keyboard with a D-Pad type mouse controller I could use from across the room. The wireless signal is better than I expected, and it'll be networked with the rest of the house.

 

[Zrexxer]

What's on your Garage PC?

Things that violate community standards in all 50 states and probably much of Mexico as well.

 

[PassnThru]

What is pron?

In case you haven't gotten it by now - pron is **** - spelled that way so as to not be caught by any filters or such that may be in place by one's employer or even by an ISP. It's a way to write the word without it drawing undue attention. Of course, it's pretty much a moot point now that it pretty much has achieved 100% of the recognition of the original spelling.

 

[79firebird]

my old pc in my shop has all my manuals wireless 200 gigs o music
Mitchell on demand, all data and a fue other programs