Our consultancy runs in a Windows world: We use Windows 95 (OSR2) on desktops (workstations) and laptops. We try to keep all systems at the same level of peak efficiency and identical configuration at all times; it costs us time to make it all identical, but it saves us critical time when something breaks and we're working against deadline.
Local desktop computers are either Dell XPS or Acer. All our laptops are from Dell.
Our servers run Windows NT 4.0. We have a Dell 2100 (180 MHz) as our central server that runs the central network, and provides printing services.
We frequently get engaged in teaching executives about the potentials for technology, and we have a "portable network" we can carry around with us. The early Compaq "luggable" models (now called "lunch box" servers) were nice, but Compaq stopped making them years ago, before the new, fast Pentiums became available. To create our own server, we've had to buy the parts and build our own. When the server is "at home," it is our staging and test server, for installing new products and for debugging our Web site. When we're on the road, our one main server takes on the Web chores.
We have an APC Back-UPS 600 to maintain power to our server despite short-term local power outages. The nicest thing it provides is the ability to shut down the server automatically after five minutes of outage, which means we get a clean re-start when power is restored.
We use a Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 5, fully-loaded with all options, as our basic printer. The H-P Deskjet 692C gives color printout (albeit slowly) when we need it.
Our LAN runs on 10 Base-T network interface cards. The main server runs the network through a Compaq Microcom 808 Integrated Access Device, an eight-port 10 Base-T hub and an ISDN. The hub manages connections to the local workstations and docking stations, and the ISDN part provides us with two telephone lines, Web access...and the access to our Web server that you're using right now.
In the computer industry, we've learned to live with bugs, and their corollary, updates and upgrades. We try to keep up on the latest versions of products, both to minimize the effects of bugs that updates fix, and to become conversant with the latest features of products.
It's a never-ending battle, and it's not easy to keep current. There's no one place to look for all updates for all systems that we've found to be reliable. So, as policy, as we use a product several times in a week, we check the product's home site to see if there're any updates. Just yesterday we got fixes to the Internet Explorer 4.0 that stopped it from crashing every hour or so. Here's a reference to where we get our current Upgrades and Updates for major products