In a brief piece on the American Libraries web site, author Laura Bruzas asks the pointed question: “Has your library been operating on auto-pilot with regards to your purchasing decisions by sticking with desktops versus the now often just-as-powerful laptop?”
Although she was specifically talking about public access computers, I think it applies even more forcefully to staff machines. Most library professionals I know prefer laptops, since they can take them home or to conferences. A desktop, although it still tends to be more powerful than a laptop, is too stationary for the needs of many.
But more generally, how many of our technology purchase “decisions” are on auto-pilot? How often do we continue to do something the same way because that’s the way we’ve always done it? I suspect this happens more than we realize.
The next time you set out to replace equipment, take a moment to consider other options, whether it be a laptop instead of a desktop, or using “cloud” services instead of buying a server. After comparing your options, you may still do what you have in the past, but at least you’ll know the reason(s) why.
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Then there are the rest of us who have input as to what IT department purchases for us. I would have loved a laptop for the very reasons you mention, but instead I have a low powered desktop. My personal laptop and desktop are more powerful then my work equipment.
With regards to laptops, while our IT department will purchase them for staff, they prefer not to mostly because of expense (as I understand it). Desktops can be purchased far more cheaply than laptops can.
Ergonomically speaking, laptop is a disaster. 99% of my work happens at my desk; desktop=comfort.
Technology decision-making is my favorite subject. We are not ready to recognize new options when these become available to us. But if we don’t see new options, we are likely to regret it later.