[RodgerB]

Merry Xmas </DIC>,

So I've got a dual screen setup on the computer I am running at the moment on a sturdy decent desk, and a fixed whiteboard on top of my bookshelf. To the left I have a crummy table I've been making do for the past year which I've been doing math homework on, and I would often need to rest my left hand on the paper to stop it moving with the table as I use my pen (I intend on using this space to replace it with a decent desk, so I can then dedicate a space to iPhone development, I have the tools to do this with a macbook).

However, on the flipside, whiteboards are rad for nutting out problems subconciously because it's passively there in your face when you leave it. Paper doesn't have that effect as it's often left ignored. I often struggle with using my whiteboard's space to nut stuff out, but keep important stuff up (like who owes me money, who I owe money, etc). So a mobile whiteboard to scoot around my room which I can throw ideas at and keep stuff on my other whiteboard seems appropriate.

The catch is however I have $150AUD, and that's not going to get me both. I've looked into DIY, it'll work out more expensive in both instances (don't have the correct welder or steel, don't have wood, don't have staining stuff). AUD is pretty much parity with USD so that's a general jist of its value, unless prices have fallen in America or inflated dramatically, then I've got no clue (but lets not make this a macroeconomics 101 topic because frankly that doesn't solve my debarkle).

So hyperthetically you're in this position. You've got decent equipment, you're unemployed and you've got a job interview in a months time and want to whip up something special that'll wow them off their socks. What do you add to your code lair, and if you have these things, what would you then add?

[creativecoding]

In my own opinion it really depends on the desk. If it's a simple fix to keep it from doing that moving around, then buy the whiteboard and fix the desk. If it's falling apart, however, buy a new one.

Spoiler

Quote

(like who owes me money, who I owe money, etc)

Pimpin' ain't easy.

This post has been edited by creativecoding: 25 December 2011 - 05:51 AM

[RodgerB]

creativecoding, on 25 December 2011 - 10:40 PM, said:

In my own opinion it really depends on the desk. If it's a simple fix to keep it from doing that moving around, then buy the whiteboard and fix the desk. If it's fall apart, however, buy a new one.

By this logic, buying a new desk seems appropriate. I needed to make this split decision now, as sales start tomorrow in Australia (not sure how it is everywhere else).

Quote

Quote

(like who owes me money, who I owe money, etc)

Pimpin' ain't easy.

Thug life man. Straight outta Victoria, "Garden State".

[tlhIn`toq]

I have switched from having two magificent big L desks forming a massive U control center (with 3 computers, 5 monitors on one of them, laser printer and numerous peripherals) to a 5 shelf baker's rack.


Let me tell ya, I like the baker's rack better. I have 3 x 24" monitors on top, and 4 shelves of gear below. It is every bit as much 'desk top' real estate yet takes up less floor. The entire unit is on casters (wheels) making it easy to reposition the entire desk as needed. Rolling it away from the wall to get to the back of the PC's/gear etc. The wireframe nature of it allowed me to zip tie all the cabling neat. Adding a simply keyboard draw at the right height means I can stand to work, or sit on a bar stool.

Best of all the rack was USD 79 at Home Depot - so you should be able to pick one up at Bunnings for about the same price.

[RodgerB]

That is a sweet setup. I'm confined to my bedroom unless I want to start taking over a cold spider infested shed so I unfortunately don't have that amount of space to work with. I watched NBA instead of going to the sales today (lakers v. bulls, such an intense game), but apparently I didn't miss out on much, it was just a gimmicky ploy to get people to spend money this year. I might sit on my money a little bit until the back to school sales start coming up, which will make desks and such better deals. Also being unemployed makes it hard to keep my car running, so good idea to save it for a rainy day.

This post has been edited by RodgerB: 25 December 2011 - 08:14 PM

[tlhIn`toq]

Like I said though, I moved out of the massive single-layer desk to a 5 shelf baker's rack and like it MORE.

It is less floor space, can be rolled (one one plug: The UPS. Everything else goes into it).

Easy to get to the back for connections.

Easy to zip time the cables up clean.

[111027]

In my opinion, nothing beats a whiteboard. I don't have one, so i simulate it using my brown door and white chalk. Hardcore.

[jon.kiparsky]

Whiteboard for me. In fact, now you mention it, that'll be on my wall by the end of the week. I'm already putting new bookshelves in to keep the girlfiend's thesis books off the floor, so why not a whiteboard as well.

[tlhIn`toq]

If you put the bookshelves down the room like a divider wall you could put the whiteboards on the backs, and still have wall space. Just a thought for doubling your available wall real estate

[jon.kiparsky]

Used to do this all the time - my last place, we had a nice finished basement that ran the length of the house, so I put my two huge shelves back-to-back in the middle of the floor and divided it into two huge office spaces. It was fantastic. I still wish I could have kept my desk - it was an old 1950s monstrosity, you could have landed an airplane on it. Probably recycled for scrap by now.
For those interested in doing this, be sure to gang them together, top and sides, for stability, especially if they're standing on carpet. A few minutes with power tools can prevent a lot of nuisance or injury. (or cause it, I suppose...)

In previous spaces, when I was living on my own, I made a lot of use of open-backed shelves, but it tended to make my rooms into a bit of a maze.

In this case, the shelves are going in the living room (last available space in the apartment) so they're going against the wall. One unit for her, one for me, and the coffee table is to remain clear. (Really. This time I mean it... Well, books make good coasters, anyway). The wall facing the couch is a passage, so it can't get shelves, but a whiteboard would go nicely. Or two.

This post has been edited by jon.kiparsky: 27 December 2011 - 10:09 AM

[tlhIn`toq]

You should also drop by the hardware store and look at the white laminate shower surround sheets. Many of these work fine for whiteboard markers and are available for less than $20 for 4x8 sheet.

[jon.kiparsky]

Good tip. I think I'll get a finished one - the local hardware store has them for reasonable - but that's good to know.

[Craig328]

May not be much help but we did something to my daughter's room in our last house that might could be of use.

We went to the local home improvement store and bought this:

and then painted over it with this:


Two coats of the first for a nice thick primer layer and then a decent layer of the chalkboard paint and at the end we had a wall she could draw on with chalk and that would hold magnets pretty well.

Worked like a coloring board but could also hold up paper drawings and such with magnets. Was actually pretty cool. It wasn't til afterward that I thought of doing the same thing but starting with a layer of cork tile underneath, then the magnetic paint and finally the chalkboard paint.

Also, doesn't Aus have something like Craigslist? Being as it's Xmas season and all, people tend to list more stuff this time of year (either getting rid of crap they got they don't want or making room for new crap they do want).

[RodgerB]

I managed to find an unused 1500 x 900mm trestle so I set that up last night. Grandparents got a new TV this christmas and their old one was a 17inch LCD with a VGA input; Score.

So I'll grab a 1200 x 900mm double-sided whiteboard from a place called officeworks ($99.94) and set that up tonight AEST (day for you guys? IDK). I didn't bother with a before and after photo, so when I'm done I'll just post the after photo.

[tlhIn`toq]

I remember OfficeWorks... That's where I bought those two big L desks from... The OfficeWorks across from the Hyperdome at the Goldcoast.