Often, when I'm speaking with folks about building a trading computer, they question why I recommend having two computers in a home office. "Why on earth would you need a second computer?" they ask.
Here's why: The computer you're running now, that you're going to "replace" with a beefed up trading computer - keep it. Don't give it to your kids, don't donate it. Instead, buy a router. Run your cable / DSL / Satellite internet into the router. Then, you have a built in hardware firewall between you and the bad guys on the Internet. It's pretty safe to say that any router you buy that is for home use and takes broadband Internet in and shares it will also function as a hardware firewall. This is a good thing. It protects you from being discovered (and hacked) on the Internet. It serves as a barrier between you and the bad guys.
So you've got your broadband modem feeding into your newly acquired router. Now what? Ok...now you come out of the router to your old, existing computer and your new superfast trading computer. You use the new superfast trading computer to only run QCharts. You do your email, web browsing, broker pages, briefing.com and everything else on the old computer. This way, you split the load. Plus, you'll have QCharts running un-interrupted. Trust me, it's better this way. Some people have a trading computer and then a laptop as the second computer. That'll work. Also remember, the second computer can run QCharts in case (gasp) something happens to your superfast trading computer.
It's for these reasons that I recommend that you get a router and share the Internet access off of that to your other computers in your home. Of course, if you have a laptop, you can get a wireless router (it'll still have wired ports to use if you want) and you can run the laptop with wireless Internet from your broadband modem.
Ergonomics: Remember, you're likely to be sitting for many hours, looking at charts, studying, doing research. Please get a GOOD chair. What defines a "Good" chair? That varies for each and every person, but it's important. Finally, after 10 years of different "Staples" and "OfficeMax" chairs, I got one of those Herman Miller Aeron chairs. You would not believe the difference it has made in how I can sit. It was well worth the cost. I wish I would have gotten it 10 years ago. I got mine at a Healthy Back store in North Raleigh, but there are lots of places you can get these, including eBay.
Also, remember your desk height. For most folks it should be 28 to 32 inches high.
more info coming..... |