Re: buy or build computer?
I've researched building my own machine though have not initiated that project as of yet. I'd highly recommend "PC Hardware in a Nutshell" by Robert Thompson and Barbara Thompson and published by O'Reilly as an excellent guide to building a machine of one's own. Their website www.hardwareguys.com is also an excellent source of information. Robert is very responsive to questions posted on the site's forums.
"Upgrading and Repairing PC's" by Scott Mueller is also an excellence source of information. As it is quite a bit heftier, I've used it more as a reference, while I read Thompson's book cover to cover.
When deciding between building or buying a computer, ask yourself the same questions that you would ask yourself when deciding between installing Linux or Windows. (Perhaps) in all cases, if you do your homework, you get an excellent product for your needs. In some, you pay a bit more financially, while in others you pay a bit more in time. You might get more flexibility if you go one way or the other. You might gain a greater understanding if you go one way or the other that may prove of value later on. An important question is where do you want to put your focus? How or where do you want to build your level of expertise? Where do you decide to turn the technology solutions over to someone else?
As some replies have pointed out, the difference between the hardware decision and the software decision includes more permanence in the hardware decision once the purchase has been made... permanence of mistakes made and permanence of success.
I had a need for a new machine recently and I opted to buy a major vendor's machine because I needed it right away, and because I would not be making a costly purchase. With the rebates and hardware/software upgrades and service discounts that came with the machine, I could not have built a machine at the same price. It will serve as a dual-boot Windows XP / Debian GNU/Linux box. I am extremely pleased with the capabilities/performance of the machine especially given the price that I paid for it.
I did a fairly good job of researching my alternatives and researching the technical specifications before I bought the machine. However, I have learned a few things about the machine since it has arrived and now know that I will not be able to upgrade the machine as efficiently down the line as I would have been able should I had built my own machine choosing the individual components. I also may have to work a bit harder on the Linux end to get everything working as I'd like.
I'd like to build my next machine- a more major purchase. I certainly appreciate selecting and knowing the components that are in my system, and knowing these are components that will be suitable over time, as I appreciate selecting and knowing the software components that reside on my machine. And, I'm pretty confident that putting together the hardware will not be any more difficult than building a Linux system. When the time comes to obtain that machine, I'll certainly have to consider where my focus must be, where my interests lie, and how I want to use my time, much more so than the cost of the two alternatives.
-- Mark
DrMarkAFriedman@earthlink.net
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