*BSD News Article 21470


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From: holcomb@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (David Holcomb)
Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions
Subject: Need Help Determining Ultimate System
Date: 26 Sep 1993 23:51:23 -0400
Organization: Virginia Tech Computer Science Dept, Blacksburg, VA
Lines: 118
Message-ID: <285nvr$4vf@csugrad.cs.vt.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: csugrad.cs.vt.edu
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL9]

Okay, I am helping a friend to build the Ultimate PC-based
BSD system on a budget of $4000.  I don't want to spend
more than $3700 of it so that she can still buy MS Word
and Turbo C (or C++) for the DOS/Windows side plus buy
the FreeBSD CD-ROM.

I have scrapped through just about every FAQ and studiously
gleaned from _Computer Shopper_ some of the "best buys" I
could find.

I need help determining a few things:
    1) Should I spend >$50 on a keyboard?
    2) Where to buy RAM? (prices seem to have gone up...)
       I want 4 4x9 70 ns SIMMs = 16MB RAM
    3) Is there a printer driver for the HP Deskjet 500 for NetBSD,
       FreeBSD, and Linux?
    4) Where to buy CPU & case?
       I want a Universal Bus motherboard (5 ISA, 3 EISA, 2 VESA slots)
   OR  EISA Master Bus motherboard with at least 2 VESA slots
       I want a 486DX-2/66 chip
       I want the case to be a full tower with >= 2 fans, >= 230W power
          supply, and at least 8 drive bays
    5) Am I missing anything (see below also), or is there something
          wrong with this setup?

I believe I have the lowest prices (at least out of the October's
_Computer Shopper_) on everything else.  List and source follows:

Monitor:
    A) Mag Innovision 15" MX15F                  $425      p. 347
          (digital controls)
    B) Mag Innovision 17" MX17F FS               $899      p. 347
          (digital controls)
    C) ViewSonic 15 (15", digital controls)      $498      p. 59
    D) ViewSonic 7 (17", digital controls)       $855      p. 59
    E) ViewSonic 17 (17", digital controls)      $998      p. 760

    I choose A.

Modem:
    A) US Robotics 14.4k (No fax)                $155     pp. 31,32,395,433
    B) Flex 14.4k (Fax also)                     $149     p. 834

    I choose A.

Keyboard:
    ???

RAM:
    ???

Mouse:
   A) Logitech DEXXA 3-button Serial              $39     p. 134
   B) Logitech DEXXA Serial Mouse                 $29.50  p. 25
   C) Logitech DEXXA Mouse                        $19     p. 634
   D) Logitech 3-button Mouse                     $25     p. 659
   E) Logitech DEXXA Serial                       $25     p. 694
   F) Logitech DEXXA                              $24     p. 756

   I believe these are all the same mouse (?).  I choose C.

CD-ROM:
   Toshiba 3401B (200ms)                          $409    p. 614

Printer:
   HP Deskjet 500                                 $282    p. 686

Hard Disk:
   A) Maxtor 1.2GB (SCSI or SCSI-2?)              $878    p. 623
   B) Seagate ST11200N 1050MB (SCSI-2)            $902    p. 465
   C) Conner CP30540 543MB (SCSI-2)               $509    p. 428

   I choose B because 1) SCSI-2, 2) 2yr warranty .

Floppies:
   A) Teac 3.5" 1.44M                              $40    p. 437
   B) Teac 5.25" 1.2M (Grey Bezel)                 $48    p. 437
   C) Teac 3.5" 1.44M                              $41    p. 423
   B) Teac 5.25" 1.2M                              $49    p. 456

   I choose C and D because I believe they are not the Grey Bezel color.
   They may need $5 mounting brackets (?).

SCSI Controller Card:
   Ultrastor 34F (VESA Local Bus or EISA?)        $225    p. 437

   Do I need the kit?  It adds about $62 to above price.

Video Adapter:
   A) Orchid Fahrenheit 1280 Plus/ 1 MB (VLB?)    $146    p. 407
   B) Orchid Fahrenheit 1280 Plus VLB/ 1 MB       $154    p. 6591

   If A is VLB, I choose A.

Hopefully I don't need anything else (other than <$50 mounting parts).

Okay, to total it all up:
   Monitor     $425
   Modem       $155
   Keyboard    ????
   16MB RAM    ????
   CPU         ????
   Case        ????
   Mouse        $18
   CD-ROM      $409
   Printer     $282
   Hard Disk   $902
   2 Floppies   $90
   SCSI Card   $225
   Video Card  $146

      Total   $2652

This leaves $3700-$2652=$1048 for motherboard+CPU, RAM, case, and
keyboard.  Any suggestions?

Dave Holcomb
holcomb@csugrad.cs.vt.edu