Alienware? Dadgum it, it looks like I'm going to have to pony up for a new system. I don't think my 400Mz gateway with Windows95 is going to get along to well with P5. I do a lot of graphic work for various charity groups and need something that will handle poser as well as other animation/graphic programs ans do so for a long time before tottering into obsolescence. Currently I am looking at the 2.8G machines from Dell and Gateway, but recently became aware of the Alienware models. I understand that they are primarily designed for intense gameing (which I also have been known to do), but wondered how they stood up as a graphics/animation platform?...any advice? Scarab PS: don't you know the tech stocks are gonna shoot up when we all get P5 and half of us have to upgrade our machines?

If you are strapped for cash, you may try upgrading you OS first. I had MicroSerf 98 and problems with Poser4 locking up. Then I upgraded to MicroSerf XP and have had very few problems. Just a thought.

Killer gaming rigs and killer graphics/animation rigs share a common theme: raw power. Alienware's machines should do well with Poser, although you might want to see about maxing out the RAM and installing the largest hard drive you can afford. You don't need the latest bleeding-edge graphics card for Poser 5, but it will certainly help with other applications.

Another good gaming computer manufacturer is Falcon Northwest, Alienware's chief competitor.

Prices from both manufacturers tend to be higher than normal, but they use quality name-brand components, thoroughly test everything for compatibility before letting it out the door, and provide thick manuals and system-restore disks.