If you can answer this or please get to the right person, I really need to find out if Photoshop CS3 (Quarkxpress will also be installed)be compatible with the following computer. (Have enough memory/speed to run effeciently, will be a graphic designers computer).
I was thinking of getting a HP Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 (W) 2.53GHz (65W) desktop with 640GB SATA 3G (3.0 Gb/sec) Hard drive 7200rpm,
with 22" w2216h LCD wide-screen monitor with integrated speakers. WIth Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Media Center (64-bit)
with Vista Service Pack 1.
Not sure what product specifications you need so I will list everything I know about the computer:
Base Processor: Core 2 Duo E7200 (W) 2.53GHz (65W)
800 MHz front Bus
Socket 775
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 7100/NVIDIA nForce 630i
Motherboard: Manufacturer: Foxconn
Motherboard name: MCP73M01H1
HP/Compaq motherboard name: Napa-GL8E
MEMORY: memory installed: 4GB
Maximum allowed: 4GB* (2 x 2GB)
* Actual available memory may be less Speed supported: PC2-6400 MB/sec
Type: 240 pin, DDR2 SDRAM
HARDRIVE: 640 GB SATA 3G (3.0Gb/sec)
7200 rpm
16x DVD (+/-)R DL Lightscribe SATA drive
MODEM: 56K bps data/fax modem
VIDEO GRAPHICS: Integrated graphics
SOUND AUDIO: High Definition 8-channel audio
ALC 888S chipser
NETWORK (LAN): Integrated 10/100 Base-T networking interface
SOFTWARE: Windows Vista Home Premium with WIndows Media Center (64-bit) with Vista Service Pack 1

If you need any other product information inorder to answer my question please let me know. I would really like to get a computer an
d Photoshop CS3 and Quarkxpress so I can start my freelance graphic design work.
thank you for your time and help,
mary (beil@3rivers.net)

That computer would be fine for what you intend to use unless you intend to create huge files. I would not get Quark but InDesign. Regardless of the merits of the two (and most think InDesign is much better), InDesign integrates wonderfully with Photoshop (and you could even get the suite which includes Illustrator).

Do not buy Adobe software from eBay – many have been stung.

The machine's fine, but I'll echo the advice to buy the suite.

That said, I'm a little leery of machines maxing out at 4 gigs of RAM.
With a 64 bit operating system the possibilities of using more are very
real and Photoshop CS4 will be available as a native 64 bit application.

Depending upon the work you do, you may want more than 4 gigs a lot
sooner than you think.

And oh yeah, Quark is so 1990s. Do yourself a favor and start looking at
InDesign if you buy the suite. You'll save yourself quite a bit of money
and have a much better application.

Bob