2. Your Computer

Your computer will be your primary business tool and it is worth taking some time to make the right decision when choosing it, if you do not already have one. The options available can seem a little daunting, but things you will need to consider include:

New or second-hand?

If you are really strapped for cash, you might want to consider buying a computer second-hand. Before you do, however, bear in mind the following:

• Computers double in power and halve in price roughly every 18 months (see Moore’s Law above), so even a new computer bought today will probably be obsolete in a few years’ time. A second-hand model will have even less useful life left.
• For the same reason, the speed, memory and software of any second-hand computers are likely to be significantly inferior to those of a new model.
• Many manufacturers (Dell, for example) will allow you to customise your computer when you buy it new, so you pay only for the things you need. With a second-hand computer you get what you see, and the price might be bumped up by a flashy games card or suchlike that will be of no use to you in your business.

PC or Apple Mac?

A few years ago the choice of whether to buy a PC or an Apple Macintosh would have been a major one for most budding copywriters. The trendy Apple has always been the favoured tool of creative industries such as design and publishing, largely because it is easy to use and its operating system is geared towards handling graphics files and the like. PCs, on the other hand, have become the main platform in most other businesses because they are cheaper and perfectly competent at handling most corporate applications.

As a result, many creative software applications, like QuarkXPress, the professional desktop publishing package used by most publishers, were initially developed with the Apple in mind, while general business applications like the Microsoft Office suite of products (which includes Word, the most widely used word processor) were designed for the PC. For a long time, too, both types of computer had great difficulty understanding each other, so you needed special programs to make Apple files readable on a PC and vice versa.

These days, however, PC and Apple systems are largely interoperable and most common software works on both, so which one you choose is largely a matter of personal taste. Writing generally looks smaller on Apple Mac screens than on a PC. And Apple Macs have other quirks (such as no right-click mouse button) which can take a bit of getting used to if you have worked with PCs before. Apples are, however, undeniably better looking, easier to use and generally faster and more responsive than PCs.

Desktop versus laptop

Another question is whether it is worth investing in a laptop computer instead of a bulkier desktop. Again, this is largely a question of personal taste. Points that might influence your decision include:

• Laptops tend to be about a third more expensive than desktops but this extra expense might be worth it if you do not have much space in your office or will gain extra work from being able to carry your computer with you.
• If you do buy a laptop and intend to carry it around a lot, you will probably want to take out extra insurance to cover accidental damage, loss or theft. Remember to back up your work often.
• Laptops can be more prone to wear and tear than desktops, and more difficult and expensive to upgrade.
• However, a portable computer can be very useful if you are likely to need to make presentations to existing or prospective clients.

If you think a laptop would be useful, points to consider when making your purchase include:

• Screen size, brightness and resolution. If your laptop is going to stay in your office most of the time, it makes sense to go for the largest and highest-resolution screen possible, for the sake of your eyes. Also bear in mind that dim screens can be impossible to see in bright light.
• Peripherals and connectors. As with all computers, try to make sure your laptop is as ‘connectable’ as possible. You might also want to find out if your laptop can connect to the internet via your mobile phone, or link to other computers via a network.
• Size and weight. While a larger laptop might not be a bad buy (because you will have a better sized screen and keyboard to work with), if you are going to take it out with you, you will want it to be as light as possible.
• Battery life. The longer the better, if you intend to do a lot of work while travelling. If you regularly face long journeys it may be worth buying a spare battery to take with you.

If you intend to carry the laptop around a lot, you will probably want to buy a sturdy carry case, too.