4 Reasons That Make 17 Inch Laptop A Freelancer's Choice
Becoming a freelancer is by all means a step towards financial freedom and being your own boss. Web developers, programmers, software testers, translators or other professionals possessing a skill somewhat higher than that of doing a routine work in a factory may decide to take the reins in their own hands and become freelancers. But beside the decision to become one and the necessary skills, a freelance worker needs some tools, among which the most common would be a suitable laptop computer that enables you to work from literally any place on the Globe. I am a freelancer, and my choice is a 17 inch laptop to be my main tool. Years have proved this choice to be right, and here is why. 1. Screen size allows me to keep enough windows open at the same time. If you are a translator, you may want to have open at least the windows of the source document and the document being worked on. Apart of that, your favorite dictionary and some grammar checking source would have to be within a handy reach. But the reality of life is often not limited to that. You may need to keep open an instant messaging program to keep in touch with your colleagues and contractors, e-mail needs to be set to automatic synchronizing. But that is still not all. If you have a contract with a company and need to access the computers on their network in order to have your work done. In this case, you will not only have to juggle with all those open windows but also tame those on your remote screen. While I have nothing at all against the arguably most popular laptop size 15.4, the freelance challenges can turn out to be a little too serious for that size of a screen. But with 17 inches you will be able to arrange the things according to your need, if not exactly in one layer then in two or three comfortably accessible. It is not that big a trouble, after all, that the windows cover each other. Important for the work is the ability to keep arranged those panes that you use simultaneously - as for reading and translating or re-writing. Have you, by the way, already come across the wonderful freeware utility WinSplit Revolution that allows you to divide your screen into two, four or nine panes, and assign each of the open windows to one or even several of them by just pressing ctrl + alt + one of the numeric keys - the one corresponding the sector on the screen you want to assign the open window to? I would highly recommend to download it and start using right away. 2. Enables me to do on-screen presentations where there is no possibility to project on a larger screen. A valuable advantage of 17 inch screens over the smaller ones is the possibility to do an on-screen presentation in places with no additional equipment, I mean, no TV, multimedia projectors or larger desktop monitors available. Of course, in this type of situation, the bigger your screen size the better. No doubt, a 19 incher would suit better here. But if we take into the consideration the situation at large - our everyday mobility needs and working comfort, then the favor is, by all means, on the side of a smaller machine. I would say that 17 inches is the lowest limit still allowing you to reach with your picture details an audience of 10 to 15 persons if you use just your laptop screen without any other enhancements. If they are seated by 4 in 4 rows, then there is no problem even for those in the last row to see all the details you are showing them. Just place your laptop correctly with the screen facing the audience and then walk behind the last row to be sure that everyone can see the screen, and that there are no obstacles between it and the eyes of the spectators. 3. Full keyboard with numeric pad for accountancy calculations One more thing you need to consider becoming a freelance worker is your own sole responsibility for the accountancy and tax payments. No matter how small your beginnings, you will have financial figures to deal with. And here an irreplaceable help might be a worksheet program and the separate numeric keyboard that most 17 inchers feature in a natural manner. It allows you to use the whole of your keyboard without toggling the number lock whenever you need to switch from calculations to text and vice versa. 4. Still the right size for comfortable transportation in a bag or backpack I have got an impression that 17 inch laptops embody the right balance between usability of the screen and transportation convenience. A carrying case or backpack for a computer of this size would not look excessively large, it does not cause any additional trouble in a bus or train. When suitably packed, it would be easily accessible at the airport security check, and, if you prefer to use your flight time for work, that will still be possible even in an economy class seat while use of larger models can complicate your inflight work.Egil Nelius is a freelance software tester and teacher, and finds it much more enjoyable than being an employed worker. If you too want to take a step out of the 9 - 5 system, you will have to get some tools first. [http://www.17-inch-backpack.digi-top.net/]Backpacks for 17 inch notebooks Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?4-Reasons-That-Make-17-Inch-Laptop-A-Freelancers-Ch...] 4 Reasons That Make 17 Inch Laptop A Freelancer's ChoiceComments [0]
