[dba-Tech] Desktop recommendation

I also purchase/build my own stuff, very economical.

However, I rarely have time to build anymore (I'd rather be kayaking).  I found a local shop with a flat rate $75 bench fee for building/fixing PC's.  I give them the parts and they do a great job, saving me time and sometimes a headache.

Mark

> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of 
> John W. Colby
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 9:04 AM
> To: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues'
> Subject: RE: [dba-Tech] Desktop recommendation
> 
> 
> ROTFL.  There's a guy with too much money!
> 
> ;-)
> 
> It's really easy to get cheap prebuilt systems, but high 
> performing, cheap
> prebuilt systems are another matter.  In fact Dell and the 
> others get you in
> and browsing with the cheap machines, then seriously jack up 
> the price when
> you start upgrading the cheap components to better performing ones.
> 
> Joe was discussing buying an Emachines which is a fairly 
> strong indication
> that he is not in your (apparent) income bracket.  And an 
> Emachines is not
> going to impress many clients unless they happen to be impressed by
> frugality.
> 
> And the case is NOT ugly.  8-(
> 
> For those of us not so wealthy, building systems is DEAD 
> easy.  In the US
> the parts are extremely cheap, and you can put together 
> machines that you
> can't touch for twice the price the price.  I replaced my 
> wife's 1ghz amd
> with 256 of ram (which I built 3 years ago).  I had to replace the
> motherboard, processor, ram and video card.  I used the rest 
> of the parts
> (disks, cd, floppy, monitor, mouse and keyboard and chassis). 
>  It took me
> about an hour, plus the time to load the software.  The price 
> was ~ $300 to
> go from low functioning to SERIOUSLY fast.  Gigabit LAN NIC, smoking
> performance, plenty of memory, tons of USB ports, etc.
> 
> Do that with your IBM Gustav.
> 
> John W. Colby
> www.ColbyConsulting.com 
> 
> Contribute your unused CPU cycles to a good cause:
> http://folding.stanford.edu/
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of 
> Gustav Brock
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 11:55 AM
> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
> Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Desktop recommendation
> 
> 
> Hi Joe
> 
> Well, not just to act as Mr. Opposite, I would advise against 
> this - except
> if you think it is great fun.
> 
> As a serious programmer you have better things to do than 
> buying ugly bluish
> lighted cases of doubtful quality, mounting boards that for 
> some reason do
> not exactly fit. Leave that to the gamers.
> 
> Instead, go and get some relief. Buy a workstation - IBM 
> IntelliStation or
> HP xw4200 - and turn into happy mode, confident that this - 
> with its proven
> (on-site) service - will not let you down for the next three 
> years. Pro
> tools also signal to the clients that you are serious and can 
> be trusted.
> 
> Upgrading the old machine is even worse. Never do that - you 
> waste a machine
> and don't get a new except if you replace everything - and 
> then you could
> just have bought a new machine anyway. Only replace defect 
> parts. Buy a new
> harddrive for the old machine. It will still be useful as a 
> second machine
> for testing - or give it to your neighbour.
> 
> /gustav
> 
> 
> > Date: 2004-10-19 17:19
> 
> > Building is always a good idea. ..
> 
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> 
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