Oct/090
Industrial Computers – Pros and Cons
The industrial computer has been around since the early eighties when it was recognised that computing could be as advantageous for the factory floor as it was for offices. Industrial computers are mostly based around the same technology as standard desktop computers but are built to be more rugged and durable.
The industrial computer comes in several forms such as rack-mountable industrial computers that can slot in server racks, panel PC's that integrate a PC and screen together to solid state industrial computers that contain few or no moving parts.
Industrial PC's are designed fro the factory floor and all different types of industrial computer share a similar philosophy of providing a controlled environment for the installed electronics to survive the rigors of the plant floor.
There are many advantages of running industrial PCs on the factory floor, they are reliable and can withstand excessive water and dust. However, industrial PC's do pay a price for this durability in that they are not very flexible.
Most industrial PC's are built with reliability as a prerequisite, for this reason they need to use tried and tested components, while this makes them extremely reliable it does mean that often industrial computers lack the processing and memory capabilities of standard desktop PC's.
Another disadvantage of industrial computers is that most are virtually impossible to upgrade. If additional processing or memory is required then a new industrial PC will have to be purchased. They can also prove problematic when they fail and need repairing, particularly solid state machines, the only option is to call a service engineer but if the machine is operationally critical then this could mean vital production time lost.
An alternative solution to the industrial is to use a standard desktop machine and protect it in a waterproof and dustproof computer enclosure. Industrial computer enclosures offer all the protection of a standard industrial PC but with the added bonus of flexibility. With an industrial PC enclosure you can:
* Choose what specification of PC to use in your industrial environment
* Upgrade the PC at will
* PC can be repaired by your standard IT support worker or the entire computer replaced within minutes
* Can be budgetary cost effective when compared to an industrial PC
* Computer enclosures can be reused with different machines
* Industrial computer enclosure will lengthen the life of you IT
Richard N Williams is a technical author and a specialist in the industrial computer industry helping to develop industrial computer enclosures and protection for all environments. Please visit us for more information about an Industrial computer or other industrial computer systems.
Oct/090
Netbooks Versus Notebooks
When you are thinking about what the best laptop PC is for you, there are a few things to consider. A notebook, or laptop PC is generally a larger style computer, obviously not as large as a desktop PC, but some lap tops can even come with a 17 inch screen. New versions of the laptop or notebook have become quite thin, but they are still quite heavy when compared to the netbook.
A netbook is a mini version of a laptop, and is a less costly alternative, or a bargain notebook. The netbook is great for travelling, chatting online with friends while travelling, uploading pictures and videos, updating blogs and social networking on the fly. They generally have a very fast boot up speed as compared to notebooks. There is usually less software/hardware associated with a netbook which makes it run a little bit faster.
With a netbook, portability is key because of it's light weight - about three pounds. You can carry it in a purse, small backback or briefcase without the need for a separate bag or satchel. The main thing to consider when comparing a netbook with a notebook is what you need to use it for. If you are doing a lot of programming type work, this is probably not the best option for you. However, if you are mainly viewing online videos, pictures, social networking, chatting and emailing, it is great. It is a really good option for students and also for children.
If you want to get your kids onto the computer, you might consider buying a <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.squidoo.com/hpmininetbook110">netbook</a> because they are relatively inexpensive and great for learning.
by: Dane_Grey
