MartyConnelly
martyconnelly at shaw.ca
Thu Mar 13 18:41:01 CST 2003
Why not go for the Gusto? And build your own Super Computer using Windows or Linux clustering via Message Passing Interface (MPI is a standard for supporting clustered computing based on message passing). This is how they did cheap special effects rendering for Titanic. MPI Software http://www.lfbs.rwth-aachen.de/mp-mpich/download/ Description http://www.devarticles.com/art/1/444/1 PS. For you ulimate machine make sure it can handle dual monitors. For backup, I use a couple of BackPack $250 USB2 pluggable 60 Gig drives with Ghost. They fit into a safety deposit box. They are far faster to backup, no fiddling around with multple DVD's As for flat panel monitors they are a little too pricey where I am in Canada. Get one with digital input and your video card needs this digital output too. Make sure you have at least one USB 2.0 port. For monitor hints http://www.bcentral.com/articles/komando/102.asp I have a local dealer who services within 4 hours if brought in. Usual rush cost $ 80 CDN plus parts and time. He has to do it, this fast as he looks after a catchment area where people bring in machines and live on about 30 islands; they have to catch the last ferry home. Francisco H Tapia wrote: >Myke, > IF you are going to build your own masterpice, I recommend you do a little >research... right now your TOP OF THE LINE chipset mb's for AMD are the >NForce2 chipset based systems, any will do from any manufacturere. For >Intel the top contender right now is their native intel chipset or SIS. As >for noise, I have an AMD XP +2000 (1.667ghz) w/ a Volcano 7 cooling fan, and >THAT is the noisy part of it, Recently I've been checking out cooling >solutions such as the "Alpha PAL8045" it is very nice, multi-pin forrest and >if you combine it w/ a whisper quiet fan you should be good. On average my >CPU runs about 104F. When I'm running processes intensive software such as >converting a Video or Playing a 3D Game I've seen it go as Hot as 113F but >no more than that. I've included some links that I hope you find useful in >your search for the perfect development system. On the whole I don't have a >problem with Dell, except to say that you'll NEVER know how much faster an >AMD pc would be unless you go over to your friends house to find out he >Runs 100 more things at once with less lag on his AMD based system :D. > >All things PC related : >http://www.tomshardware.com/ >http://anandtech.com/ > >CPU Cooler review, Very nice :D >http://www.dansdata.com/coolercomp.htm > >Motherboard Links >http://www.motherboards.org >http://amdzone.com/ >http://intelzone.com/ > > > >-Francisco >http://rcm.netfirms.com > >On Thursday, March 13, 2003 5:24 AM [GMT-8], >Bryan Carbonnell <Bryan_Carbonnell at cbc.ca> wrote: > >: Myke, >: >: I'll agree with the folks that have said build your own system. You >: get exactly what you want, nothing more, nothing less. >: >: Now on to the CPU, the things religious wars are made of :-)) >: >: I will highly recommend AMDs. You get a better bang for your buck. I >: built a 1.4 GHz Athlon system about 18 months ago and it cost me >: about ½ the price of a comparable Intel. The MoBo was cheaper as >: well. >: >: I have a comparable Intel system at work (1.5 GHz Intel vs 1.4 GHz >: AMD) and I find that even thought he AMD has a lower speed, the >: overall system is faster. Yes, I have actually done benchmarks on >: both systems and the AMD always came back faster. >: >: The only thing that you will need to watch is the temp. I've been >: working on getting my CPU temp down for about 4 months now. I get it >: down to a comfortable level and then it slowly creeps up over a week >: or so. So I tweak and clean again and it drops again, but rises after >: a while. >: >: Dells are good machines, that's my Intel system at work and I haven't >: had a problem with it since I've had it. >: >: Just my $0.02 CAD worth from an AMD fan. >: >: Bryan Carbonnell >: bryan_carbonnell at cbc.ca >: >:::: mmmtbig at hotmail.com 12-Mar-03 7:17:39 PM >>> >: Note: I am using a hotmail email account to post to AccessD because >: attempted posts from my BellSouth.Net email account bounce back. >: >: Soon I will buy a new PC and drop the oldest one from the lineup in my >: office. I'd like some opinions on PCs. >: >: I'm an independent developer working from a home office with a DSL >: connection. I live about 20 miles north of Atlanta. I use a keyboard >: video mouse sharing device for all the PCs. I don't like fixing >: hardware >: so I'd like a good onsite service contract. I don't need an OS or >: software installed because I'm a MSDN subscriber. I'd like to have >: less >: white noise from power supply/fans. I'd like to use temperature >: monitoring software because most of the failures I've had were due to >: a >: fan malfunctioning and the heat killing a hard disk. >: >: Opinions on the following would be welcome: >: Intel vs. AMD; >: DVD RW for backup; >: Same day onsite service; >: Best value monitor configuration. >: >: The easy decision is to buy a Dell. Anyone have suggestions? >: >: TIA, >: Myke > > > >