
How many computers should a programmer have? - spydez
http://mindstudies.psy.soton.ac.uk/dmitri/blog/index.php/archives/117
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thomasmallen
Hm. It depends on the sort of programmer. The writer uses C# (bulky Microsoft
tools) and codes in a language that requires compiling. So his assessment is
fitting for an ASP.NET or Java programmer, definitely.

I program in Python and PHP mostly, and my two-year-old Macbook is more than
enough. 2GHz, 2GB RAM, 60GB harddisk. I run two Virtual OS (XP and Ubuntu) for
cross-platform testing using Parallels virtualization, although never both at
the same time. I've found that my computer runs just fine with my tools of
choice: The usual day-to-day apps (Thunderbird, Firefox, Office 08, etc.), a
local MAMP stack, TextMate or MacVim, Photoshop, Transmit (FTP), and a grab
bag of other processes (Python, IDLE, Komodo Edit, etc.).

Never needed anything else. I have every browser, the major OS, a great local
development server, the choice graphic tools, and good editors. The only other
component is my shared hosting account with HostGator which runs twenty sites
or so, has unlimited bandwidth, and generally is a very good production server
for small-to-medium client sites and my own side projects.

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cstejerean
"I don’t like to admit it, but even I am sometimes forced to use virtual
machines." Who is this guy?

~~~
icey
He's your standard Microsoft stack developer.

Microsoft has historically done a very poor job of virtualization, so
Microsoft focused developers generally have a poor opinion of virtualization.

~~~
akd
If you're writing lower-level network stuff working inside a VM can often
create subtle timing issues (and conceal others) that need to be debugged on
host OSs.

------
andr

        One for the Black Hat on his dark Aeron,
        In the Land of Mordor where the Lurkers lie.
        One Sun to rule them all, One Mac to find them,
        One router to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
        In the Land of Mordor where the Lurkers lie.

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kylec
The correct answer is "as many as you need".

Personally, I use a MacBook and a Linux server over SSH. Between the two I get
the best of both worlds.

~~~
donw
Sounds like my development environment. Dell Small Business makes this easy,
too, because they almost always have _great_ deals on 'slightly older' server
hardware; I picked up a PowerEdge box about a year ago, with a three-year on-
site warranty, for $600.

You know, if Dell had OpenBoot, I don't think I'd ever need to look at another
platform again...

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omnipath
As much as one needs. For me, I need more monitors than I need multiple
computers.

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sysop073
I have two physical machines, but I use virtual machines all the time for
testing purposes, I think most people do. I have no idea what he was talking
about with being "forced" to use virtual machines, virtual machines have made
testing a hundred times easier than it used to be

~~~
mattmcknight
That's what I was about to say...

Still the answer might be 3: one slice of a server, one desktop, one portable.

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bbgm
As many as you need. I am not a full time programmer, but in recent months I
have gone from 2 desktops (one for audio/video and one linux desktop) and a
work laptop to one personal macbook pro with an Ubuntu VM, Slicehost (Ubuntu)
and EC2. Works fine for me, at least till I get gear acquisition syndrome
again.

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timcederman
I've gone a bit over the top lately. I have my laptop for most tasks, a Mac
Mini for development, a Mac Mini for crawling, and then a suite of servers for
further testing.

