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Xref: sserve comp.os.386bsd.questions:7918 comp.windows.x.i386unix:6476 Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions,comp.windows.x.i386unix Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!msuinfo!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!concert!unccsun.uncc.edu!jlrobins From: jlrobins@unccsun.uncc.edu (James Lee Robinson) Subject: If you were to assemble a new machine... Message-ID: <1994Jan12.161313@unccsun.uncc.edu> Sender: usenet@unccsun.uncc.edu Nntp-Posting-Host: ws217.uncc.edu Reply-To: jlrobins@unccsun.uncc.edu (James Lee Robinson) Organization: University of NC at Charlotte Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 21:13:13 GMT Lines: 38 If all of you experienced unix_on_intel_for_free people were to assemble a machine to run either FreeBSD or NetBSD and probably XFree86, what kind of machine would you put together. I am a fairly experienced unix person, having spent a few good years here at UNCC writing code for our Sun sparcs, and 3 semesters as a co-op for BNR doing network and X programming. However, I have very little experience with PCs and MS-DOS machines. I am interested in putting together a machine somewhere in the proce range of $3K to $5K U.S. So, my questions to you are: 1) What hardware not only works, but works well. 2) What kind of performance should I hope to expect with comparisions to the Sun workstations (IPC / IPX / sparc 2, etc.) 3) Is there any preference (performance issues) with respect to bus type ? Are there any buses that won't work ? 4) Would I be better off assembling a machine by hand, i.e. buying motherboard, power supply, case, etc. from mail order vendors from out of PC Shopper? 5) What are the common pitfalls / what should I steer away from (aside from Diamond video cards and Mitsu... CD-Roms)? 6) SCSI or IDE drives? Why? Whats the difference performance / comatability wise? Yes, I have read the *BSD FAQ (nice piece of work -- kudos to the maintainers), but I still have these questions. Any help is appreciated. I will gladly post a summary, if emailed with responses. Thanks, James