Since my flist knows everything...

[donutsweeper]

What sort of computer tech would be able to fit on a big desk, but would be impressive?  The idea is that they think they're just dealing with someone barely into this technological age but they find the desk and it has so much stuff on it that they're nearly speechless.  Any ideas?  Does that even make sense?

Comments

[k-haldane.livejournal.com]

Well, my husband is a computer tech who would fit on a big desk, but before answering your question he wants to know which universe this is for, and who are the people being impressed by it?

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

:)

sorry- Torchwood, and Tosh and Ianto are impressed

[k-haldane.livejournal.com]

Size is not always an indication of power - think of the computers in the 1970s, which would be easily outpowered by my laptop.

One way to be impressive is a network of dedicated-purpose machines: say, normal display & graphics 21-inch display in the desk, file server under the desk, external modem and firewall and Airport for wireless internet access, networked printer, oh, and at least 2 different operating systems. (eg. Linux file server with Mac machine for graphics work, and a Windows machine in order to handle those sites who think Windows is all there is.)

[k-haldane.livejournal.com]

You can fit all of that on (and under) a desk if you cheat a little and use some shelving for the processing units, keeping the desk free for the keyboard & screens. Note there will be cabling *cough*

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

maybe instead of it all being hidden in the desk, I'll have it in a separate room they stumble upon then. The internet access could be wireless, but there would be a lot of cables from all the rest. Would the room (it's an old house) have to have been rewired to properly handle all the equipment?

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I see what you are saying. So, if Tosh were to be happily rattling off how could all that be explained? that there was two separate operating systems, as well as two different display monitors?

[k-haldane.livejournal.com]

He'd need better lighting and a decent ventilation system to take care of the waste heat. One other possible problem with old houses is the thickness of the walls, but if it's all in the same room that's not an issue.

Expect *lots* of little lights - red and green LEDs, some steady and some blinking to show activity. Lots of cables, but all neatly run down the backs of the desk and shelving units.

Tosh could say something like: "What is this guy doing!? He's got... well, this display is as good as mine, but that's a Linux box - no, the display is connected to this one - you know, these Macs are five thousand pounds each at the moment - so, ah! He's using the Linux box as a file server, and possibly firewall protection."

"What's this one for, then? Looks like an ordinary enough Windows machine to me."

"It is, but it's a good one. I guess he keeps it for compatability. That could get annoying, though, unless he's networked them all together."

"So he can browse the net from one, and do graphics work on another?"

"Exactly. And keep all the data files stored together so they're accessible from any of the machines, and print from all of them as well. That explains the cabling, but this must have taken years to get right. Every time you add a new component, you have to fine-tune the whole system again."

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*passes donuts* Oh you are wonderful. This is exactly just the sort of help I needed to make the scene work.

[k-haldane.livejournal.com]

I look forward to seeing the end product. (quietly shuts door on room full of various computers at home.)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

It's for my tardis_bigbang piece so it'll be awhile, but I'm actually beginning to think there's a hope in hell it'll actually get done. If you like I can post the techobabble snippet for you to give the once over as soon as I get it written.

So, does this work?

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Red and green lights, some blinking and some not were scattered throughout the room. Cables snaked down the back of the desks and shelving units, gathering together as they made their way to the powerstrips on the floor.

“Oh, wow!” Tosh’s eyes grew wide as she took in the room’s splendor. “She’s got everything in here! That display is easily as good as the one’s we have back in the Hub, but wait, that's a Linux box - oh, I see, that display is connected to this machine here- hey, this is the system you said was too expensive for us to get! I bet she’s using the Linux box as a file server, and for firewall protection as well. Maggie must have spent a fortune on this equipment; there’s a regular windows machine for compatibility and the Linux for graphics sharing the same network so the data files are stored together. This is incredible!”

Re: So, does this work?

[k-haldane.livejournal.com]

Tiny niggles -

You need a big W on Windows (since it's a brand name).

No ' in "one's", that should just be "ones".

Also, I'm not sure what graphics software would run under Linux - I use a Mac for that sort of work. So my version would run "...a regular Windows machine for compatibility and a Mac for the graphics, sharing the same network..."

Otherwise it's pretty cool. : )

Re: So, does this work?

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

excellent, I made the corrections. Thanks so much!

[phoenix64.livejournal.com]

I have to confess that when I first read this I was thinking 'person' as well. It was a pretty fun thought, actually. ;)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

:) I guess I should have worded it better!

[matsujo9.livejournal.com]

I have no idea if this is the sort of stuff you're talking about, but this place has some cool things:

http://www.officeorganix.com/home2.htm

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

wow, thanks.

I just want a few sentences of gobblygook that sounds like it could be real- something along the lines of "oh she has a whatnot processor and a thing-a-m-bob!"

[matsujo9.livejournal.com]

Yeah for science gobbledegook!

Also, I don't know about anyone else, but anything with holograms impresses me.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

science gobblegook is good, but I know zippo about it.

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

I can do medical waffle and the odd bit of chemical and biological waffle, but technical waffle is beyond me even if I did build my own PC!

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

How about having hidden cabling to amp up the mysterious factor?