Special Cases in Buying Business Desktop Computers: You Are the Exception If...

Certain people in your office have more demanding uses for their computers. Here are the job types that can justify beefier systems.

The Art department

• A really faster processor — 3.2GHz Intel Pentium (or AMD equivalent) and up
• 64-bit processor or that fancy 32/64 version
• 2GB of RAM
• 160GB of hard drive capacity (or even two large drives)
• Faster/fancier graphics card — the kind that have product names that sound like whole computer systems themselves (because they are, basically).
• Ah, just get them all big, fat, expensive Macintoshes and be done with it!

A Programmer will want:

• A laptop, of the kind known as "desktop replacements" — which means they are as capable as any large desktop system, which in the small confines of a laptop means more $$$. Since programmers often work late at night from home, this can be a good investment.
• 64-bit processor systems — but be careful that they don't end up writing all their software as 64-bit for no reason other than they like it — otherwise you'll find yourself having to replace all your 32-bit admin desktops with expensive 64-bit systems in order to run your custom software.
• Dual monitors (or a laptop with a large external monitor).
• Multiple operating systems. This usually doesn't cost anything extra, since the extra operating system they usually want is a Linux.

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