Does anyone work on desktop and laptop?

[Virginia]

Hello,
I just got a laptop and am finding myself wanting to still use the desktop and use the laptop when it is more convenient.
Does anyone do this and what has worked best for you to keep your work on each synchronized or is synchronization not really realistic? (I think synchronize is the right term.) I'm probably going to be using PSE 5 mostly on both computers, organizing family photos, artistic photos and portrait work. I'm in the process of switching over from PSE 3 and will leave PSE 3 on both for access to the file browser and I like renaming my images with yr.mo.(progressive #ing) as I download them.
I guess I'm wondering is trying to synchronize a good idea or one that will drive me crazy (or both). And does anyone have some tips from their experience.
I'd really like to see anything you have to say.
Thanks,
Virginia

[baderms]

Unless you're very disciplined you'll never keep the two in sync. I only use my laptop when I travel or I have an issue with my desktop. Not to mention that my desktop will run circles around my laptop. Hope this helps.

[Codebreaker]

If its a Windows based system then download Microsofts SyncToy. Its free and allows you to synchronised folders/files between the two machines.

You'll need to make sure you set it up to include all the relevant files such as Catalaogs and Caches along with the images.

One thing to keep in mind. Your colour rendering will most likely be different on your laptop than your main display. I've yet to see a laptop screen that matches a good standalone screen.

Colin

[Robyn]

. I've yet to see a laptop screen that matches a good standalone screen.

I agree. My laptop colours are not nearly as good or accurate as my main monitor.

The sync toy sounds like it might be useful. How does it actually work?

[Codebreaker]

Robyn....

Laptop screens - agreed - this in my opinion makes them dubious for image processing if colour is important to you.

Synctoy -

It does mean having your Laptop and Workstation networked. Within Synctoy you set up a Folder Pair - one on Laptop / one on Workstation.

So for example My Pictures is common to both.

Set the option to Sychronise and press Run. There's a Preview button that also allows you to see whats going to be Synchronised without actually doing it.

Next time you run it, it looks to see what files have changed and then copies the latest one over.

You can also set other options such as Echo, which is a sort of one way sync. So you can move all your files from a Workstation to an external drive but if you accidently delete or change a file on the external drive it doesn't get changed on the Workstation.

I use Echo for backing up and Sync between my Workstation and Laptop.

Colin

[Woodmaker]

I have both a laptop and desktop that are networked together. I save all my pictures on the desktop and then when I use the laptop I just access the pictures and save them to the desktop. I find the desktop much faster and I also have my Wacom tablet attached to it so I use it for serious PSE work and the laptop just for trying things. Hope this helps.

Tom

[jo]

I'm glad to hear these comments -- I thought I was going to have to recalibrate the laptop monitor after trying to show some pics to the bride and groom yesterday.

I'll just use it as a backup, which was my excuse for buying it in the first place. :rolleyes:

[Wendy]

Hi Jo ...

I use my laptop to take away with us when we go on holiday ... I udes to do some editing with it but found that when I got home I had to redo most of it.

Nowadays I still take it with us but only use it for downloading and showing slideshows :)

Wendy

[Virginia]

Thank your for all the great replies!!!
I am aware of the color management issues between laptops and stand alones. My desk top CRT is starting to pulsate so I think it will be in need of replacing soon. Is CRT still the best way to go for desktops or are there some LCD's that give as good of a color gammit (I think that's the right term)?
I still plan to do most of the serius enhancing/editing on the desktop, but my husband uses it also and I can use the laptop whenever I want, so I was hoping to be able to do some of the editing on there. I guess it will have to be just when I'm not as concerned with the color mangagement (hmm I wonder when that will be, since that is so much of what we do?!?)
Thanks for the tool tip for synchronizing, both my systems are PC so that should be very helpful if we can get the systems networked. We have a wireless server for our DSL, but for some reason, my husband was not able to get new lap top networked. It makes it a pain for when I need to print from the laptop, I have to transfer all the files to the desk top w/flash memory or CD. I'll have to put a little more investigation into the networking issue.
Again thank you so much for the suggestions and I'll keep watching for others :-) , I can use all the help I can get!!!
I just got all the reconnects done in my PSE 3 catalog in preperation to load PSE 5. Some of the upgrades in the program, like open sessions for back ups, look very promising! I also won't miss the fly away marquee!
Best wishes to all and thanks again,
Virginia

[Wendy]

Hi Virginia ...

I haven't had any colour problems with the LCD monitor for the desktop computer :)

Wendy

[Carbone]

Me neither...

Ray

[Virginia]

That's great to hear! I'm probably waaayyy out of date on the technology. I would like a LCD screen, because I could sure use the space on our desk!
Do you have any recommendations on what to look for in a desk top LCD screen? Is there some level that if you get less than this you'll run into color issues, or recommended resolution, or favorite brands? I'd like to soak up any info. I can before I have to go shopping.
Thanks again!
Virginia

[Carbone]

The bigger the better... because editing can be so much more fun when you have ample space to view your entire image, or greater portions of it.

Dell make a decent 20" monitor (for Pc). As for me, I have an Apple Cinema Display 20" and I love it.

Ray

[Virginia]

I've heard that Apple is ahead in the monitor game (and in other areas, but I'm not in a place to make the big change over).
Thanks for the PC recommendation :-).
Virginia

[AlphaShooter]

I use a dual monitor desktop with a wacom attached and a laptop when I travel. To keep them synced I just copy files back and forth using a thumb drive ... primitive but effective. I don't even try to replicate my desktop library on my laptop because it is too large and my laptop projects are usually quite limited. Besides, it drives me nuts not having my wacom with me when I use the laptop and I've gotten spoiled with the dual monitor setup. With all that said, it is better than nothing for when I travel. My advise to you is to keep it simple and focus on your desktop as your primary system. When you must be mobile, select the projects you want to work on and move them over the net or using a thumb drive, and then move them back when you're back in front of your desktop. While convenient, my experience with laptops is they just fall considerably short of what is needed for a full PSE experience. I can say that even for my laptop which is a wide-screen screaming monster. It just doesn't compare to the wacom and dual monitor experience.

[AlphaShooter]

That's great to hear! I'm probably waaayyy out of date on the technology. I would like a LCD screen, because I could sure use the space on our desk!
Do you have any recommendations on what to look for in a desk top LCD screen? Is there some level that if you get less than this you'll run into color issues, or recommended resolution, or favorite brands? I'd like to soak up any info. I can before I have to go shopping.
Thanks again!
Virginia

If you're on a budget (and who isn't) I would seriously consider dual 17 or 19 inch LCD monitors instead of one honking big one (i.e., 21 inch or bigger). You'll get more space and more flexibility for a considerably lower cost. You'll have to upgrade your video card, but they are dropping like rocks in prices so that shouldn't be too expensive. I personally use an NVidia GE Force 6600 PCI Express card and dual Dell 17" LCD screens, but there are lots of other options available. The thing to look for is response time which for most modern monitors is pretty decent. The LCD market is just like anything else in the computer and photography business... you get what you pay for, so the more pricey, usually the more capable the monitor -- ie, the brighter and the faster. The one exception is Sony, which are outstanding, but they are a bit overpriced for the quality in my opinion.