Here's a DIY project that helps immensely with HD noise.
Build a cradle for your HD out of semi-stiff foam. Make sure to allow PLENTY of airflow - mine consists of two square U-shaped pieces. The HD sits in the dip of the U's.
What this does is hold your HD without your HD being screwed to the drive bay. The drive's vibration are decoupled from the case. You can't toss your box around anymore, but build it right and it'll hold the drive fairly securely.
Of course, this only works for the modern drives that are smaller than the 5.25" bays.
I haven't seen my three favorite solutions mentioned:
1) Many Maxtor drives have "SilentStor". My DiamondMax 2160 (30G/5400 RPM) is amazing... I can't even tell the thing's on, even when its accessing.
2) The ThermalTake Volcano II (DU0462-7) from the CoolerGuys.com is really quiet. Not gimmicky like the "Orb".
3) (Experimental) Why doesn't someone use a larger, slower spinning fan air ducted to the CPU? The main reason CPU fans are so noisy is that they have to spin faster to get the same airflow for their size.
If diesel engines made a bit of a comeback, that'd be great. It would mean I could buy something other than a VW Rabbit or a Volvo and run it on biodiesel like the veggie van.
Biodiesel is made from used fryer oil.
Cheap, less polluting than petrol-diesel, radically non-corporate (you can make it in your garage), and recycled to boot! The best thing is the tailpipe emmissions smell like french fries!
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned <A>HREF="http://www.dragonsys.com/products/d ragondict ate">Dragon Dictate</A>. I tried it a year ago and was really impressed at how it kept up with normal-paced speech. No linux version yet, sadly, that's why I'm not using it every day. Maybe ViaVoice will fill this void?
Think of the amount of typing you could just NOT DO at all if you could speak your e-mails. Not sure if the product's useful for coding.
One trick I use is not capitalizing (except when something's going to be widely read). By not making your hands do the awkward and strenuous reach-for-the-shift-while-hitting-another-key, I think strain is cut way down.
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Here's a DIY project that helps immensely with HD noise.
Build a cradle for your HD out of semi-stiff foam. Make sure to allow PLENTY of airflow - mine consists of two square U-shaped pieces. The HD sits in the dip of the U's.
What this does is hold your HD without your HD being screwed to the drive bay. The drive's vibration are decoupled from the case. You can't toss your box around anymore, but build it right and it'll hold the drive fairly securely.
Of course, this only works for the modern drives that are smaller than the 5.25" bays.
I haven't seen my three favorite solutions mentioned:
1) Many Maxtor drives have "SilentStor". My DiamondMax 2160 (30G/5400 RPM) is amazing... I can't even tell the thing's on, even when its accessing.
2) The ThermalTake Volcano II (DU0462-7) from the CoolerGuys.com is really quiet. Not gimmicky like the "Orb".
3) (Experimental) Why doesn't someone use a larger, slower spinning fan air ducted to the CPU? The main reason CPU fans are so noisy is that they have to spin faster to get the same airflow for their size.
Biodiesel is made from used fryer oil. Cheap, less polluting than petrol-diesel, radically non-corporate (you can make it in your garage), and recycled to boot! The best thing is the tailpipe emmissions smell like french fries!
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned <A>HREF="http://www.dragonsys.com/products/d ragondict ate">Dragon Dictate</A>. I tried it a year ago and was really impressed at how it kept up with normal-paced speech. No linux version yet, sadly, that's why I'm not using it every day. Maybe ViaVoice will fill this void?
Think of the amount of typing you could just NOT DO at all if you could speak your e-mails. Not sure if the product's useful for coding.
One trick I use is not capitalizing (except when something's going to be widely read). By not making your hands do the awkward and strenuous reach-for-the-shift-while-hitting-another-key, I think strain is cut way down.