Don't forget the middle ground... http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=775609&sku=B450-4112%20B&CMP=EMC-TIGEREMAIL&SRCCODE=WEM689C John Ferrell http://DixieNC.US ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matt Pobursky" To: Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 7:12 PM Subject: Re: [OT:] Build vs. Buy PC's Was: Free Visual Basic > I guess it depends on where you buy your parts and how you setup your > computers... > > I used to buy "brand name" computers but have built my own for the past > 7 or 8 years. I've done many price comparisons over that time and have > found it's still less expensive to build my own, including my time > factored in at $75/hr. > > This is because the first thing I do with a "pre-built computer" is > reformat the hard drive and re-install everything minus all the adware, > spyware and general crap I don't want that comes on them these days. > Most manufacturers nowadays only provide you with a "recovery" CD (if > that) and have enough OEM and proprietary versions of hardware that a > re-install is an adventure. On other systems I've worked on for other > friends and clients, this takes most of a day. It takes about the same > time to install the OS and apps on a new computer I build myself, so I > see this as a "wash" cost-wise. > > Now, spec out a "name brand computer" with top-quality hardware and > name-brand components instead of the cheapie-OEM-feature-stripped stuff > that's standard and the cost actually rises considerably above what the > parts cost from a reputable online vendor like newegg.com. I work on > computers enough and have the tools to assemble a complete system and > do initial tests in about 2 hours. > > OTOH, when I build my own system I can have exactly the hardware I > want, actually repair and upgrade it when and how I want and only > install the OS and software I want. I can also secure them from the > outset. Since I've been in business the past 20 years, I've never had a > system hacked or been infected with a virus (save for one Linux test > server that I purposely left wu-ftp unsecured on... hehehe) and I've > had a 24/7 broadband connection and an office network for the past 7 > years. > > For me, > Hardware Cost Advantage: Self-Built > Time Cost Advantage: Even > System Upgradeability and Customization Advantage: Self-Built > > The last one is important to me, since my computers are all tools. I > also keep 5-6 computers working in my office and lab at any given time > and tend to move systems "down the food chain" when I upgrade/build a > new system. So there's a certain amount of maintenance and upkeep just > like with any other business equipment. I look at that as a cost of > doing business. > > I guess it's all in your perspective. I would rather spend my time > working on computers that I built and understand rather than working on > stuff that someone else put together with components that frustrate me > because they don't exactly meet my needs. Either way, you're going to > spend time working on them... > > Matt Pobursky > Maximum Performance Systems > > > On Tue, 11 May 2004 17:13:48 -0400, Herbert Graf wrote: > > > Then why do you buy a brand name computer? :) > > > > Price. A computer you assemble yourself is invariable more expensive then > > an assembled computer. While most of my past purchases were "self assembled" > > the amount of time involved and the extra cost just isn't worth it to me > > anymore. TTYL > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: > [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.