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Building A Computer From Scratch?

Posted by Cliff on from the doing-it-yourself dept.

wackybrit asks: "The economy has given many of us the chance to go and work on some side projects. I was reading "Interview With Bill Gates" and have been inspired to create my own computer from parts, to write my own interpreter, and to really see if I could do what Gates and Allen did back then. With the Internet as a reference guide, it should be easy. However, things are not always so easy. I might be a techie, but I have no idea how memory chips hook up, how a data bus really works, and how to tie everything up. Do you Slashdot folk have any handy tips or resources I can refer to for building my own machine from scratch?" If you had a chance to build your own computer, would you make yours similar to existing designs (ala the PC, or the Mac), or would you do it differently?

3 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Building your own by chriso11 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I've built something like 6 computers. It is not a difficult task by any means. The most challanging part is selecting the components to use and figuring out where to get them.

    Just some simple rules:
    1) USE A GROUND STRAP. ESD Damage is all to easy with today's chips (and esp. memory). Keep the components in the static-shielding bags when not installed.
    2) Don't use the cheapest components, as they are often the weakest link (a $6 sound card may sound like a bargin).
    3) Put the memory, cpu, and video card into the motherboard and make sure that works first.

    --
    No, I don't trust in god. He'll have to pay up front, like everybody else.
  2. I'd design a games console... by Kris_J · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    It'd be:
    • Card-based, not CD or cartrdige. Using PCMCIA. 2 slots.
    • It'd have a DSP capable of decoding Mpeg4 for FMV. In fact, there'd be some major decompression hardware in there to get the most out of the solid-state storage.
    • Audio would consist of a 32 voice MIDI synth plus 4 MP3/Ogg channels like the Amiga's old digital channels.
    • Bluetooth built-in. For all controllers, be they joypad, mouse, keyboard or whatever.
    • A USB 2 port and a Firewire port. Standard connectors. If you want more than one of each, get a hub.
    There are two nice things about card/cart-based games consoles. First, load time is very close to zero. Second, you can easily include extra hardware with the games, like the RISC ship used in the SNES' Sky Fox and Doom.
  3. And once again... by Screaming+Lunatic · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    the answer to an AskSlasdot is:

    Google

    Usenet