I own two that I built myself.

My first one
AMD K6-2 w/3DNow @350MHz
Soyo SY-5Ema Mobo
Voodoo BLaster Banshee 16MB AGP graphics
56k Modem External
96MB PC100 Ram
300Watt Power Supply
16X Max CD rom
6GB Maxtor 7200 HD
10/100 Ethernet Card
100MB Zip External Parallel

Latest Comp
1100MHz Athlon Thunderbird (socket a)
Asus A7V Mobo
Voodoo5500 AGP 64MB Graphics
256MB PC133 SDRAM
30GB Maxtor 7200 ATA100
10GB Maxtor 7200 UDMA66
ATI TV Wonder
10/100 ethernet
Philips 8/4/32 CDRW
36X Max CD Rom
Two USB webcams
Visioneer 6100 Scanner
Full Tower Case 300Watt
Cooler Master Heatsink N Fan

The two are networked via Windows ME home networking software. They currently share a 56K internet connection. All drives are open to sharing between both computers.

The newer one is using a 15inch Sony Trinitron monitor, and the older one is using a 14 inch Packard Bell monitor. Both are set at 1100x700 Resolution at 16bit Color.

The new one has scored above 6000 in MadOnions 3DMark2000.

This summer I plan on upgrading my CDRW, My MB and Proc, buying a new 19inch monitor, and adding a water cooler, for overclocking purposes.

PC:
AMD (Because Intel chips suck ass) 500 Mhz (slower than da Mac G4 upstairs, but still pretty zippy).
Windows 2000 Professional (the only version of Windows that I have ever been pleased with).
Dragon Voodoo Banshee 16M (I think that's what it's called).
Single bus USB
192 Megs o' RAM
20 Gig hard drive 5400 rpm (I think). No partitions.
DVD-RAM drive (from the Mac)
Floppy drive (Floppy drives suck. They should be illegal, just like dial up modems!)
RS-485 network card
Networked and sharing files with the Mac
DSL

This PC was self-built. Total cost of entire package (including 17 inch monitor) was $500 a year ago.

Celeron 400 based generic AGP motherboard and case obtained at auction during the liquidation of CFS-Rentec, with the following additions:

128MB RAM
3dfx Voodoo III AGP video w/32mb ram
Maxtor 45GB hard drive no partitions
Kingston LAN card
Memorex 40x CDROM
HP 9100 series CDRW
Sound Blaster Live! Value audio card (run thru a miniature tube amplifier and large speakers for optimum performance)
Generic PCTel-based 56k faxmodem (used solely for faxes)
Music Quest PC MIDI Card (legacy item for if I ever decide to use this machine for my musical exploits once i get my rig back together)
DSL with Alcatel Speed Touch Home modem
17" el-cheapo monitor

Aaron

Dell Dimension 4100
1GHZ PIII
512MB PC133 SDRAM
80GB UltraATA 100 Hard Disc
64MB DDR GeForce2 GTS video card
8X DVD-ROM
8x4x32 CD-RW
External USB Zip100
3 Com NIC
SB Live! sound card
Altec Lansing ADA-885 THX-Dolby Digital speaker system
21" Viewsonic P815 monitor
12" X 12" Wacom ArtZ II graphics tablet.
All of that sits on an Anthro-Cart desk.

I use a Linksys Etherfast DSL/Router to network this tower to my old machine:

Core Microsystems
Dual PII 400MHz
256MB PC 100 SDRAM
9GB Ultra2 SCSI LVD Hard Disc
Creative Labs 3D Annihilator-Pro GeForce256 32MB DDR card
32X CD-ROM
100MB SCSI Zip built-in
Mag Innovision 19" monitor
Linotype-Hell Saphir2 scanner (the SCSI scanner is the main reason why the old system is still running).

I also have a Dell Dimension PIII 550, with 256MB of SDRAM at the office (this machine is starting to get a bit on the old side).

I had previous office machines to that, such as a Micron Millenia dual Pentium Pro 200 with 64MB of EDO-RAM (I can't believe how much we paid for that machine considering what your dollar buys now). A couple of 486DX2 machines precedes that, including an IBM PS2 ValuePoint that cost a fortune to do any kind of upgrading. There were a couple Macintosh systems before that when I lived in Georgia. Changing jobs and the sticker shock of the Macintosh Quadra900 has something to do with the change in operating systems. Adobe Photoshop 2.5 appearing for Windows 3.1 and NT helped make the switch easier.

And then you have that jump back to yesteryear with the classic Mac, the first Compaq Deskpro 8088 PC --and who can forget the Radio Shack TRS-80 "Trash 80" with only 16K of memory!?
 

You had the 16K trash-80??! I had the 4K version, believe it or not! I used to do our theatre payroll on it. (One thing about it....it never crashed!)
 

933mhz Intel
786 megs PC-133
Asus MB
2 each 30 gig Maxtor 7200rpm HD
SB live! 5.1 \w\ IR Remote
2 each VooDoo 3 3000 graphics cards
2 each Sylvania 19 inch F96 monitors
Ricoh DVD / CD fryer CDROM drive
Asus 40X CDROM Drive
Linksys 10/100 Network card
Zoom V-92 Modem
Logitech Internet keyboard
Microsoft Optical wheel mouse
300-Watt Power supply
Mid-Tower case

Programs:
Windows 98 full install with all updates (30 megs worth) on "C" drive, and Windows ME on "D" drive.

Other programs:
Anything that I can jam in that thing that somehow manages to run..

P133 with 64MB EDO RAM
S3 Trio video card with 4MB RAM
Voodoo 1 with 4MB RAM (unused now since there are no drivers for Windows 2000)
Quantum 2GB and 3.2GB hard drives
8X CD-ROM
33.6K Modem

OK, laugh it up. See if I care! (sniff)

Number 2: Compaq
AMD K6-2 450Mhz 3D Now (as Joe said, Intel sucks ass)
96 MB RAM
10.2 GB + 17 GB + 30.7 GB
8X DVD
2X Memorex CD-RW
Rage LT Pro AGP 2X Video
19" Optiquest Q91 @ 1024x768x24-bit
integrated audio something-or-other (doesn't matter, no speakers!)
10/100 Ethernet
Lucent v.90+DSL Wildwire modem
Windows 98se

Laptop: ancient, sad-looking CTX EXBook that won't die
Pentium 150
16MB RAM
2 GB HD
8X CD-ROM
14" monitor with broken hinges @ 800x600x24-bit
10/100 PCMCIA Ethernet
33.6K PCMCIA 3Com modem
Windows 98se

Various printers, scanners, capture devices
Box filled with SCSI & IDE CD-ROM drives and IDE DVD drives and enough spare parts to build another whole pc!

I've also been through stages of TRS-80, Commodore VIC-20 and Apple IIe before being blown away by the speed of a 286!

Mac-
-Final Cut Pro (kicks the living hell outta Adobe Premiere).
-Adobe Photoshop 5.5 (Kicks the living hell outta Adobe Photoshop 2.0).
-Adobe Illustrator 9.0 (Haven't figured out what the hell this program is for yet. It kinda sucks. Not easy to work with).
-Quark XPress (What the hell is this? This looks like System 6.0! It's not even in color! How do you import? Crap.)
-Flash 5 (Kicks the living hell outta GIF animations).
-Ray Dream Studio 5 (For computer animation).
-Painter 4 (For hand drawn animation).
-Appleworks 6 (Kicks the living hell outta writing by hand with a pencil).
-Microsoft Word (Kicks the living hell outta, ummm....)
-VocalWriter (For music sequencing).
-AOL 5.0 (Kicks the living hell outta everything else in the entire world!!!!!!!)
-Other Crap.

PC:
-Adobe PhotoShop 5 (not LE).
-Microsoft Office (Whoopeeee! I live for spreadsheets!)
-Quicktime 5 Pro (So I can avoid using Microsoft's lame-ass media player)
-AOL 6.0 (Can't live without it. You haven't truly experienced the internet until you've experienced AOL!!!!!)
-Some other crap. Windows XP coming in a week or two. Release candidate.

Wifes Computer is a 500mhz P3 on an A-Bit BX6-R2 mommieboard, 256mb PC133 RAM, 45X CD ROM,100mb zipadeedodah drive, Cheap 10 buck network card, Can't remeber AGP video card type.

CD BURNER Computer (on network): 2 Creative *X Burners and 45X CD ROM dive, 500 mhzP3 slot 1 mommieboard, floppy. Creative CD Software 5.0 running under win ME. Makes it easy to burn CD's from the 1000's of downloads we got from Napster
MArk @ GTS

Joe, It doesn't matter how fast your apple is, there is only about 1/10th the amount of software available for it .

1. Self built PIII running at 500Mhz One day I'll have time to drop in the 800Mhz processor. 384MB of PC-133 RAM 3 IDE hard drives 8-20BG each and 1 SCSI Running Windows NT Server (this is my PDC). Matrox G200 Video (way over powered for a server) HP LJ2100 Printer.

2. Self Built Athalon 1.2Ghz 384MB of PC-133RAM, 40GB HD, ATI Rage Fury video 32MB of video memory. Running 2000 Pro.

3. Dell Latitude CPt laptop 500MHz p3 processor. 256Mb or RAM.

Above 3 are attached to a 21in Dell Triniton monitor via KVM switch

4. Selfbuilt Athalon 1.2GHz 2 40GB hard drives. ATI All-In-Wonder 32MB video ram. Umax scanner. 384 PC-133RAM running 2000 Pro

5. Dell GX1 P2 400Mhz, 40GB and 6GB HD, 128RAM. Running NT Server (going to be a BDC and Exchange server)

6. Dell GX1 P3 500Mhz 20GB HD, 512 PC-100 RAM, this is a test machine, Running NT Workstation

Hooked up to annother Dell 21" Triniton Monitor via KVM switch

7. Dell Latitude CP P2 266MHz 128MB RAM - don't use this one anymore

all computers are connected via a network and WAN connection via a Linksys router going trough a cable (AT&T = YUCK) modem.
 

We may only have 1/10th the software, but at least 90% of our software isn't crap.

Really, I'll take quality over quantity anyday.

-AS

 

Laptop is a iBook G3/500. 10GB. DVDROM. Just picked it up a week ago.

Both are on wireless AirPort connected with a cable modem connection.

Now why, might you ask, do I have a Mac? Well, because I am a Sys Admin all day long running a NT/Novell network and when I get home I just want a machine that will work - not one that I end up fixing (again and again and again and ...) & because of Mac OS X.
I've seen many OSes come and go and I was so impressed with it, I bought a Mac and sold my home built AMD 450. It is by far one of the most impressive OSes on paper and it is translating very well into a kick - ass OS.
If you haven't had the privilege of seeing / using it, please do. You will be impressed.
This is a PC posting, not a war zone for Mac vs PC so I'll try and keep it that way. Later...
CJ

 

Among the software I run, I have registered licenses of:
Adobe Photoshop 6.0 (accept no substitutes)
Adobe Illustrator 7.0
Adobe PageMaker 6.5
Adobe GoLive 5.0 (very designer friendly)
Adobe LiveMotion 1.0.2
Macromedia Freehand 9
Macromedia Flash 5
Macromedia Fireworks 2
CorelDRAW 9.0
Fractal Design Painter 4.0
FlexiSign-Pro 6.5
CASmate Pro 6.52
Aries Graphics Neon Wizard 4.0
Microsoft Word 2000
Microsoft Excel 2000

and then there's a lot of other miscellaneous stuff like Quake III Team Arena and Cyberlink's PowerDVD. Good thing I have an 80GB hard disc.

 

Joe, I'd use a Mac (they're much better for non-linear editing), but there are hardly any good games that run on them. Trust me: this is important.

 

If you want games, just get a console. I hate computer games. I'll take Japanese videogames over US-programmed games anyday. Plus, 90% of computer games are all just first-person games like Doom/Duke/Quake(Quake is good)/Wolfenstein3D etc. How about a little variety? The computer industry says "No thanks!" to that suggestion! Videogames are way better than computergames. And yes, you can play videogames against others online. And yes, you can use broadband to do it.
 

I was holding a GeForce3 in my hand today. $435 US. Guy at the store has one, says it rocks.

Work =
Pentium 233 w/ 128 meg ram running WIN98
56k dialup
Creative AWE 64 Gold
Intense voodoo 3d rush (6meg)

Plus a Dell Latitude Cpi 266 pentium II.
No LCD. (Pretty hot if you ask me)

 

So the GeForce3 is finally out, eh? I'm sure it is pretty awesome!
 

Joe, Final Cut Pro is damn near the easiest to learn non-linear editing system I have ever seen, I have been usuing it for almost a year and a half and I have almost mastered it. I cant stand Adobe premiere its fairly difficult to use and version 6 is buggier then any of version 5.

Joe
 

It is actually an early form of multitasking, also known as "SneakerNet," where you move stuff around on diskettes. He keeps all client files strictly on floppy diskettes, never on hard drives, which provides added security for confidential matters. At the office or home, he'll be writing threatening letters or a pleading or brief on one computer. When done it's saved on the client disk, a process requiring standing up and moving around a little -- providing needed exercise -- then moved over to another XT which is connected to a printer. It prints while he works on something else.

As with the car, I am a computer minimalist. Currently using a Pentium 150, with 64MB RAM, which is in a large tower case with two HDD's in removable slide-out drawers. One HDD is primarily data, it comes out at nite and goes into the inner vault of my Diebold fireproof filing cabinet. With the need to preserve backwards compatibilty due to my large library of carefully-archived old software there is a dual 360k/1.2MB and 1.44 floppy drive unit, plus a internal Zip-100 drive and a fast CD read-only drive.

The most important software is further backed up by a dos utility called "DiskCopyFast!" which creates image files of diskettes on HDD; with this a replacement diskette can be created anytime needed.

These days for floppy I mostly use the zip and a couple of these disks are set for critical system backups, just pop it in and launch the bat in the root.

With RAM prices so low I'm about to add more and lotsa RAM makes a HUGE difference in performance as many of us here know, I think.

"Want your computer to fly?" Give it MEMORY!!!

I'm becoming very concerned about the worrisome direction the internet and certain infamous monopolies are taking. If certain little-publicized trends are not reversed... in 10 years from today or sooner, you will have to pay rent every month or all your software will stop. Personal HDD's will be prohibited by Federal law, and you will have to rent space on the monopoly's central system for all your files, which will be open to the gov't snoopy and Big Bu$$$iness interests.

If you want to print anything, a per-page royalty will be charged; a portion of which will go to the MPAA and the RIAA just in case you are inadvertently printing something which they say is their copyrighted property [no appeal,] that is if you are allowed to print it at all after the central monopoly looks at what you want to print and decides if you may.

{{ If Film-Techers would like to know more about some of this stuff, such as "CPRM," let me know and I can start a thread. It's gonna be heavy going and a lot to read, though. Meanwhile, I would warn -- Don't Upgrade Anything, and figger that Windows-98 is the end. }}

Anyway I am planning to install an additional very hi-tech top/line computer with a CD burner which will be exclusively for internet + audio-video stuff use and no connection to anything else. When necessary I'll transfer from internet to other computers via zip disk.

But for routine everyday & business stuff not too much will change. I use 1988-93 dos software daily, it all still works, and there's just no need to change. Netscape 4.5 is my preferred browser; and I use at&t cable modem hi-speed internet service; so I do "upgrade" but only if there is a need.

Remains my antiquarian view that many web sites have become far too hi-tech for their own good; all loaded up with too much javascript, frames and whistles&bells. The proprietors of such sites seem blissfully unaware of the fact that a person can have the fastest latest whiz-bang computer made; but if resides in a small town with lousy fone lines their site will be unusable by that person.

So "Keep It Simple Stupid" is still a good rules for web sites, as well as computers, and have a text-based section if you want to be ACCESSIBLE to EVERYBODY.

I have an iMac DV/400. I have all the necessary toys to go with it, though:
Umax scanner
HP printer.
Imation Superdisk.
JumpShot Compact Flash reader.
Que! Fire CD-RW.
Epson Digital still camera.
Cannon Digital Video Camera.

I have never had a problem finding a way to do just about anything I want to make the computer do. This includes ripping movie clips off DVDs. Honestly I don't know what people are talking about when they say there's no software for the Mac. My answer would be to take a look on the shelf of just about any computer store and see what software for the PeeSee there really is. How many different ways are there to make a program that lets you store all your wedding pictures on your computer? If it were me I'd just burn them all onto a CD and use QuickTime to turn them into a slide show.

As far as games go, I only have three of them. I have a casino game, a billiards simulation and a game of Cribbage. The only one that I play regularly is Cribbage. Honestly If I want to play a video game I'll go to one of my theatres and pay my quarter(s). Even then I only play games every once in a while. If you want MY opinion, there's nothing in this world that can beat a game of good ol' fashioned PINBALL!

I think pinball machines are one of the two coolest machines in the world... second only to movie projectors. If I ever get a house with a big enough basement, half of it will be filled with movie projctors and the other half of it will be filled with pinball machines!
 

-HP Deskjet 970 Cse (Beats the living hell out of every other printer in the world except for the printers that are better!)

I also have:

-Epson Photo PC 750Z Digital Still Camera (Better than everything in the world that is inferior to it).

-Canon XL1 DV Camera with all the trimmin's such as 3X wide angle lens, lens cap, and sound. (This camera beats the hell out of everything else in the world, including real life!)

Final Cut Pro is awesome! I have version 1.25 and am considering upgrading to 2.0. Adobe Premiere is not considered a professional editing program by any means.

AMD Athlon 750 Mhz CPU
Biostar M7MKE Motherboard
128 MB PC 100 Sdram
WD 20 GB Hard Drive No Partitions
LinkSys 10/100 Ethernet card
Voodoo 3500 AGP Video Card
Soundblaster Live Platinum Sound Card
SuperMicro Full Server Tower 300w P/S 6 open bays + 4 Hidden.
Floppy Drive
Creative Labs PC/DVD Encore 8
Creative Labs CDRW 8432

OS: Windows 2000 Professional

Computer 2: Scratch Built

AMD Thunderbird 1GH 266 FSB
Asus A7266 Motherboard
128 MB PC 133 SDRAM
WD 20 GB Hard Drive No Partition
LinkSys LNE 100 10/100 Ethernet Card
Soundbalster Live Platinum 5.1 card w/ Live Drive Bay
Hurcules Ultra 2 GeForce2 AGP 64MB DDR ram Video Card
Creative Labs CDWR 8432
SuperMicro Mid Tower 400W P/S 3 bays open and 3 hidden.
Floppy Drive

OS: Windows 98 Second Edition. Primamrilly a gamming P/C Specifically for Everquest. Bad A$$ Game if anyone wants my opinion.

Both Computers are running through a KVM switch to a KBS 19" Monitor. Printer is a Network shared HP 890cse Color Ink Jet. Also on the Network are my roommmates two P/C and his HP Laserjet 4si printer. Other components include a Cable Modem running to a Linksys 10/100 Router then to a Cisco 1924 Switch.