Well, I wouldn't stand there. Hope that carpet won't generate much static, or that the humidity is high enough to drain it off. Does that old mobo have ethernet, modem, and video built-in? I just see a soundcard and a backplane. I do have an old machine that I'm turning into an MP3 jukebox...
Hey, all - thanks for all the information, both in your posts and the e-mails. I just wanted to get everybody's opinion on the subject before making a decision, and thought it would be an interesting discussion for [most] everybody else. [If you think it's boring, then skip it already!]
Putting a system together is a no-brainer for me. It's fun, and I truly "own" the system. The quality and control are top considerations. Yes, I have plenty of experience -- my information is just a little out of date. I'm not working inside a hardware corp. any more, and need to find out how to purchase the stuff on my own. [Don't get any ideas.] It's time to catch up!
It looks like I'll be making a visit to the local whitebox places. I like being able to just walk in and say, "Hey, I need one of these," or even, "This is defective, I need a replacement." There's nothing like talking to a live person who knows his stuff. Also, there's no hassles with shipping or tech support.
To be fair, I'll also check out the web sites you recommended. NewEgg and PriceWatch seem to be the top sites, and there are some other interesting sites to explore. I get the feeling that setting up a good relationship with a local business will be more rewarding, however.
I agree that I can best control the quality of the parts going into the system if I build it myself. I can also troubleshoot it much better and don't have to hassle with clueless tech support people or time-consuming RMA's. BTW - Thanks for the insight on the corner-cutting in the prebuilt systems.
I have a lot of extra parts lying around just itching to get into a complete system. As for monitors, keyboards, mice, and such, those are easy enough to get. I was primarily interested in the box itself.
Again, thanks for taking the time on this subject. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who will benefit. (That's what/. is all about, right?)
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Well, I wouldn't stand there. Hope that carpet won't generate much static, or that the humidity is high enough to drain it off. Does that old mobo have ethernet, modem, and video built-in? I just see a soundcard and a backplane. I do have an old machine that I'm turning into an MP3 jukebox...
Hey, all - thanks for all the information, both in your posts and the e-mails. I just wanted to get everybody's opinion on the subject before making a decision, and thought it would be an interesting discussion for [most] everybody else. [If you think it's boring, then skip it already!]
Putting a system together is a no-brainer for me. It's fun, and I truly "own" the system. The quality and control are top considerations. Yes, I have plenty of experience -- my information is just a little out of date. I'm not working inside a hardware corp. any more, and need to find out how to purchase the stuff on my own. [Don't get any ideas.] It's time to catch up!
It looks like I'll be making a visit to the local whitebox places. I like being able to just walk in and say, "Hey, I need one of these," or even, "This is defective, I need a replacement." There's nothing like talking to a live person who knows his stuff. Also, there's no hassles with shipping or tech support.
To be fair, I'll also check out the web sites you recommended. NewEgg and PriceWatch seem to be the top sites, and there are some other interesting sites to explore. I get the feeling that setting up a good relationship with a local business will be more rewarding, however.
I agree that I can best control the quality of the parts going into the system if I build it myself. I can also troubleshoot it much better and don't have to hassle with clueless tech support people or time-consuming RMA's. BTW - Thanks for the insight on the corner-cutting in the prebuilt systems.
I have a lot of extra parts lying around just itching to get into a complete system. As for monitors, keyboards, mice, and such, those are easy enough to get. I was primarily interested in the box itself.
Again, thanks for taking the time on this subject. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who will benefit. (That's what /. is all about, right?)