Is this a big no no? I'm curious if my nle will be harmed or become "slushy" or slow if I connect it to the internet and run my email program (eudora), frontpage, etc. on it. Right now I'm using my parents computer (which is in the kitchen) to get web access but they are starting to get ticked at me because I'm constantly running back and forth. Also, I'm moving out in a few months so I'm going to need a way to get online and I really wont be able to afford a seperate computer for internet access but then again I also dont want to harm my nle.

If I understand you correct, you want to go online at the same time as you are editing/rendering with your nle.

I have also just one computer for nle, internet and everything else.

Usually I don't go online or use other programs when rendering.
But the few times I have done that, I have not got any problems.

Going online or using other programs when editing, should not harm your nle in any way as far as I know.

Multitasking while rendering is okay, but causes drop-outs during capturing.

No I wont be online or running any other programs while rendering. I'm just worried about viruses, adware, spyware, and the chance of my video clips or project files disappearing. Anyone had a problem with this? I'm using AVG virus scanning software if that makes any difference.

A while back I was using my computer for editing video, and accessing the internet and it was constantly crashing and having problems, but I also used to have kazaa and download music and other files back then so I'm guessing that maybe that was the problem. I dont do that kind of stuff anymore so I'm thinking it may be okay.

Kazaa is a problem as it comes bundled with adware/spyware. You could get kazaa lite for free (don't pay for it, people are lying to you when they are selling kazaa lite). You can still get trojans from kazaa lite though.

If someone on your computer surfs the internet then you run the chance of getting spyware and adware.

Viruses: it's possible you can get hit by a worm while you are doing absolutely nothing with your computer. You can protect yourself very well by:
A- getting all the latest updates.
B- setting up a good firewall. are you behind a router by any chance?

Hey Dustin.

Do yourself a favour and save up for a 2nd computer just for web surfing. New computers are so cheap these days, you could probably pick something up for $400 including monitor.

In the last year, my web box has been hit by numerous viruses, dozens (probably hundreds) of spyware ads, and I've nearly had to format it twice. If I had, and it was also my NLE, I would have been sad, sad, sad.
Plus my web box chugs pretty slowly for doing anything, since it's packed with stuff.

My NLE box still runs as fast as the day I bought it.

Yea I'm behind a router. I don't plan on downloading anything other than eudora, and AVG. I used Kazaa lite on my parents computer but theres no way I'm putting it on here. On the other hand, $400 is pretty cheap, and I wouldn't even need the monitor, I could just use a kvm switch. But I have alot of other dues that need to be paid right now so even that little $400 payment is a steep price for me at this point in time. Maybe when I get moved and situated I will have the spare cash, but I'm just trying to play it safe with the budget right now.

If you have never seen this, let me describe a situation to you...

We have a customer that has a $15oK Avid HD editing system. It was utterly destroyed by one e-mail.

You want to see grown men shell out thousands to rebuild their systems, let folks have internet access.

One of the smaller systems I personally oversee, the helpful IT guy downloaded all the Microsoft updates and updated their XP Pro system, complete with the KB21414 patch that kills Avids.

Even the helpful folks that ought to know better can kill things.

NEVER put your editor online. Buy a cheapo walmart special, load it with Linux and use Evolution or Netscape for e-mail and browsing. OK, use Windows if you have to but NEVER allow your people, or your customers to go online with your machine unless you can afford to loose all your footage and have time to rebuild your machine on a regular basis.

My 2c.

Sean

I'll let you choose on using your dedicated editor as a web machine, but take others and my word and never let anyone else on it, many times other people are not experienced enough with computers and allow problems to occur. For an example, at my school's community access station, I built a few nice editing machines, but other students used them when I wasn't around and by the time I stopped it they required complete formats and a huge amount of my time. Guess that doesn't really pertain to you, sorry if I got off-topic. :x

Don't. Unless...

Like other people said before, the best aproach is to have separate computers for NLE and WEB, but if your only option is having them both in one computer, use dual boot. One partition with one OS istalled for NLE and another partition with one OS istalled for WEB. Might not save you from all viruses, but it will at least be much safer than having it all together.

Of course you'll have to reboot each time you want to switch from NLE to WEB and vice versa, but I think that's a minor nuisance compared to the trouble you can get into.

Best regards,
Arnaldo

As an option to dual booting, take a look at VMWare. You can actually run one full instance of an OS inside a box on your current desktop and even bring that box seemlessly full screen.

I used to do this at the post house where I was the Engineer. I loved using Linux as my shop OS. We had Lotus Notes for e-mail, etc so I had to run VMware to get an instance of Win98 with Lotus running in it just to check my e-mail. Good times...

Take a look at it. It might be worthwhile.

Sean

Dustin:

I know what it means when needing merely $400 becomes a nightmare...

I edit in my only PC, where I also work, surf, etc.. Actually I work as a web programmer-designer and webmaster so I´m on-line most of the time.

I´ve had a few problems with viruses in the past, but nothing serious, and I´m doing fine working in my old PC.

Of course I wish I could have a new editing only machine.. but it´s not possible, so here is what I do to keep me safe.

- Zone Alarm Firewall (free personal edition)
- AVG antivirus scheduled to scan every day during my lunch time. (freeware version)
- Peridically also do scans using free on-line antiviruses (panda and HouseCall) just to have a second opinion. (free also)
- I use Spybot Search and Destroy for killing adware and other spycrap which I happen to find more annoying than viruses. (also freeware).
- I keep those updated as much as possible.

When editing I disconect from the net. So my PC goes offline. And shut down everything I can.

- Allways backup. I keep a copy of every project I do in a separate Hard Drive, and at least a weekly CD with the project I´m working on.
I don´t need to backup all the captured stuff. Just the editing Info.

- Don´t let anyone use my PC.
The only two times I´ve had virus problems was because of Firewall being down... and one of those two times it was shuted by someone else than me.

So, If I were you.. I´d do regular backups, take preventive measures (you will have to do that also in your suring only machine anyway) and don´t let the $400 stop you from editing.

I agree with Federico. I have always had internet access on my NLE, as it is also my secondary graphics machine. I frequently surf for images, fonts, etc., for whatever project I'm working on.

I do not surf, or do anything else while editing. I have had odd crashes due to java scripts and flash, which could foul up a project. I also have all of my projects stored on a raid, just in case I should ever have to reformat, they are seperate and pretty safe. By all means, do have anti virus software on the machine, you can disable it and other programs when editing.

In the 3 or 4 years I've been doing this, I haven't had any serious problems. Of course, NOBODY uses my edit machine, except me. My family has used my older PC, and done nasty things to it.

I have been preaching this for years, same as with the kids, abstinance is best. Kids being what they will, we know that doesn't always work.

I will always continue to preach that the machine you make your money with, your lifes work, should never be put in an unsafe enviornment, like the internet.

People will do what they will, and I will be making money, like now, fixing the machines of people who insist it's OK to check e-mail on their Avid, Premiere and other systems.

Do what you want, but call me when it needs repaired. I need a new wireless mic. I'll let guys that surf the web on their editing workstations pay for it for me.

Sean

Sorry Sean... I built it, I fix it myself. Not that has needed anything since my processor died prematurely. Somehow, I doubt it had anything to do with being hooked to the internet :)

Secretly, I do it too. But I strongly preach against it to end users that don't really know what they are doing in computers.

I have been into computer since the first ones came out (long before there was "the internet") and have a good idea how to stay out of trouble. I too run Zone Alarm, Pest Patrol and SwatIt as well as Norton Corporate.

Hey, I may be paranoid but nobdy has gotten into it either. My family PCs on the other hand...

I also build multimedia servers based on either Windows or Linux so I am a sort of renasiance guy in the PC world I guess. I have been a Studio Engineer and Facility Engineer for a post house as well as being with NBC for over 16 years so I am all over the place. Some day I'll pick one field I suppose.

Currently I am a certified Avid editor (in my spare time) and in Broadcast sales with a major AV dealer in Ohio.

Anyway, I tell folks and beg folks, and still they think they can do it all on one machine (without an inside support person) and not miss any work on their Avid...Oh well. I keep cashing the checks so I suppose it's all OK with me.

Caveat Emptor and Carpe Feline (Seize the cat)

Sean

I agree that it is not good practice, but I am also one of those hippocrits that does it as well :). I too use my editing station for graphic/web design.

As others mentioned, be sure to do regular virus scans and check for spyware. I use both spybot and ad-aware as they seem to sometimes "catch" different things.