OMG COMP SPECS

johndoe0028 · Postby **johndoe0028** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:10 am

Dell Dimension 4400 from 3.5 years ago ^__^ 768 MB RAM NEC CD R/W Plextor DVD R/W DL Maxtor HD (200 GB) Nvidia GeForce 2 Intel Pentium IV 1.69 GHz (No, no HT) And Whatever motherboard, sound card,power supply, fans etc. that came with it. Fedora Core 4 w/ updates (2.6.11-1.1369_FC4) I know my Video card is all old and whatnot, but hey, It's auto-detected with pretty much every Linux Distro I've tried. (Except Debian and Arch)

johndoe0028 · Postby **johndoe0028** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:15 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (VisibilityMissing @ Dec 19 2005, 03:38 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> ...big name company distro like SUSE.  </td></tr></table>  LOL SUSE LOL. I remember that one...With it's "Know what? Let's be freaking huge!" *remembers Arch fondly (200MB install)* Of course, that was no X no CUPS 2.6 kernel Bash tools to edit stuff; like Vi and nano

Richard K Niner · Postby **Richard K Niner** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:11 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (johndoe0028 @ Dec 20 2005, 06:15 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> tools to edit stuff; like Vi and nano  </td></tr></table>  Ah, vi. It's required on every UNIX-like OS (being part of the POSIX standard). Way better than Emacs, too.

Blue Blur · Postby **Blue Blur** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:38 pm

5hifty wins! Processor: 2.4 GHz Hard Drive: 80 GB RAM: 524 MB w/ extra (Not sure how much) Video: 5600 XT Nvidia 256 MB Sound: Some sound card that is actually pretty good CD ROM: DVD/CD drive dual 6 USB ports, two on front, four on back Umm... I can't remeber the rest...

Softpaw · Postby **Softpaw** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 2:14 pm

Processor: Intel P4 2.8GHz 800MHz FSB Prescott-core HT 1mb L2 cache Motherboard: Abit IC7-G Memory: 2048mb Corsair DDR400 Dual-Channel (4x512mb) Video: Nvidia GeForce FX5950 Ultra 256mb AGP 8x Audio: SB Audigy 2ZS Platinum Optical 1: DVD-ROM 16x Optical 2: CD-RW 16/32/16x Other Drives: Floppy & Zip250 Network: Onboard 10/100/1000, Belkin 54g w/ hi-gain antenna Cooling: Zalman CPU cooler, Nexus 4-channel fan controller, 6 Antec 80mm hi-flow fans HDD 1: Seagate 120gb 7200RPM IDE 8mb cache HDD 2: WD 250gb 7200RPM SATA 8mb cache Power: Antec TruPower 430w Monitor 1: 21" Sony Ultra-FD Trinitron .20 dot-pitch Monitor 2: 19" Sony Hi-Def Trinitron .17 dot-pitch Speakers: Harmon-Kardon 2.1 PC speakers Game Controllers: Microsoft Sidewinder 2 joystick, Logitech MOMO force-feedback racing wheel I think that covers just about everything, my machine's not the latest & greatest anymore, but it's still pretty nice, and plays all the games I like <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... /smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' />

Northern_l33tness · Postby **Northern_l33tness** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 7:44 am

This could take a bit, since I have two of my own computers and use my dad's for games on top of that! My desktop: Athlon 1200 (133FSB version) Soltek nForce 2 (basic) mainboard 2X256MB PC2100 RAM (512 total) one 80 GB and one 40GB 7200RPM hard disk on board sound and LAN Leadtek Geforce 2 Pro 64MB Viewsonic Optiquest V75 17 inch monitor (it still does the job after seven years!) Plantronics Audio 90 headset 16X Lite On DVD and 24X Lite On CD-RW 1.44MB floppy Logitech MX510 red (I love it) Gravis Blackhawk Joystick and MS Sidewinder gamepad built like a tank, MEHTUL base IBM keyboard 24 inch tower case wtih 420 watt Thermaltake PSU and 120MM LED fan Windows XP Pro and 98 dual boot, plus a FREEDOS install that I can run via Virtual PC 2004 My laptop: Seanix SL226A Celeron M 1.4 Intel 855 chipset with Intel Extreme Craphics 2 (At least it can run Quake 3 for the occassional on campus deathmatch!) 512MB RAM 40GB 5400RPM hard drive DVD/CD-RW combo 15.4 inch, 1280X800 widescreen six cell lithium ion battery Windows XP Home The usual sound, LAN, wireless, and input devices My dad's desktop: Athlon XP 2600+, 2.08GHZ (I think), 333FSB, 256KB cache version 2X256MB PC2700 Asus A7N8X deluxe with onboard sound and LAN Radeon 9700 Pro video (128MB) one 120GB and one 80GB hard disk Samsung 955DF 19 inch monitor 16X Lite on DVD drive 16X BenQ DVD-RW/DVD+RW/DVD-R9 (I think) floppy drive Logitech Z340 speakers MS wheel mouse and same keyboard as previous desktop Logitech Wingman Extreme Digital joystick Pinnacle Analog 8 (I think) capture card Aspire X-Dreamer case with Enermax 350watt PSU and several fans, some blue LED equipped, side windows, silver plus printer, scanner, card reader, etc... In addition, my brother has the same laptop I do, and we've got a couple older machines (like a K6-2 450 and an old Pentium 120) to do odd jobs and DOS stuff. In other words, so much stuff that I can actually hold a Counterstrike LAN without anyone needing to bring a PC (though I perfer they do). Oh, and my dad has a IBM T42 laptop with a 2GHZ CPU, 2GB RAM, 60GB 7200RPM hard drive, a 15inch 1600X1200 LCD, and a Radeon X600, but since it's his work machine I don't get to use it much. On the plus side, the fact it's his work machine means he's not the one footing the bill for it!

Ankaris · Postby **Ankaris** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 1:42 am

*pounces out of convenient shadows* Actually, over the past 3 months I've been building a new one for myself. It's *almost* ready for me to switch over to. (only need to put my old data on it). So, new and old specs... New Athlon X2 3800+ Processor (Dual-Core, whee! But only a placeholder, really.) 1 Gig Ram (2*512 sticks) 160 IDE HardDrive, 80 SATA2 HardDrive Radeon X800 GTO (256MB) Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe Motherboard (I could run SLI off it if I wanted, but I'm a Radeon fanboi) Audigy Xtreme Music Sound Card DVD-ROM DVD+-RW Drive 5->1 Floppy/Memory Card Bay And a couple of other bits and bobs that are nifty, but aren't the core of the computer. Old Pentium 4 2.8Ghz 1 Gig Ram (2*512) 160 IDE HardDrive (I'm stealing it for the new one...) Radeon 9200 (Package deal, this computer, they skimped on some parts, like this one) ??? Motherboard Internal Sound DVD-ROM DVD+-RW Drive 5->1 Floppy/Memory Card Bay (stealing these last three ones, too) So, there they are. I'm upgrading because I want to play the latest games at something other than "damn, this is a NICE slideshow..." <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' />

Northern_l33tness · Postby **Northern_l33tness** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:50 am

Probably your video card holding you back with your previous system... My dad's rig has slower CPU and less RAM then you old system and runs everything except Battlefield 2 just fine... and I think BF2 tanks because of the 512 RAM. Too bad I can't convince my dad to shell out on those $99 CAD 1GB RAM kits NCIX has... Basically, even at $470 CAD I still think my Radeon 9700 Pro was one of the best choices in computer hardware I ever made. It was REALLY tough to convince my dad to take the plunge on that one... next time around it should be easier by virtue of how well this one has helf up. Interesting upgrade package... definately not what I would have picked, but it definately marks you as being more knowledgeable then the average guy about hardware. I'm slightly curious as to why you went with an SLI mainboard when you don't plan to run SLI... which I think was a good move even though I'm currently in the nVidia camp. SLI is great for ubercomputers, but I've always found the concept of running two mainstream video cards rather then one high end one a little shaky considering that the performance boost from SLI is very driver dependent and that SLI tends to require a pretty high end power supply. Also, as a side note, did you pick the dual core Athlon because of the ability such CPUs have to not lock up even when one core is under 100% load? That's in my opinion the coolest feature of dual core rigs at the moment... this might change once multithreaded software becomes more available.

johndoe0028 · Postby **johndoe0028** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 8:43 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (johndoe0028 @ Dec 20 2005, 11:15 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> *remembers Arch fondly*  </td></tr></table>  Ahhhh, arch. Hails from the land of Canada it does (according to distrowatch). If I could post screenshots, I would, but there was nothing to get a shot of. <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... /sleep.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sleep.gif' />

Ankaris · Postby **Ankaris** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:02 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Northern_l33tness @ Dec 26 2005, 07:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Probably your video card holding you back with your previous system... My dad's rig has slower CPU and less RAM then you old system and runs everything except Battlefield 2 just fine... and I think BF2 tanks because of the 512 RAM. Too bad I can't convince my dad to shell out on those $99 CAD 1GB RAM kits NCIX has... Basically, even at $470 CAD I still think my Radeon 9700 Pro was one of the best choices in computer hardware I ever made. It was REALLY tough to convince my dad to take the plunge on that one... next time around it should be easier by virtue of how well this one has helf up. Interesting upgrade package... definately not what I would have picked, but it definately marks you as being more knowledgeable then the average guy about hardware. I'm slightly curious as to why you went with an SLI mainboard when you don't plan to run SLI... which I think was a good move even though I'm currently in the nVidia camp. SLI is great for ubercomputers, but I've always found the concept of running two mainstream video cards rather then one high end one a little shaky considering that the performance boost from SLI is very driver dependent and that SLI tends to require a pretty high end power supply. Also, as a side note, did you pick the dual core Athlon because of the ability such CPUs have to not lock up even when one core is under 100% load? That's in my opinion the coolest feature of dual core rigs at the moment... this might change once multithreaded software becomes more available.  </td></tr></table>  *premptive apologies for quoting lotsa text* I'd probably agree on the video card holding me back. It really was rubbish. (I checked, I could buy it for £10/£20 now, new...) SLI Motherboard... I went for the Asus because it has lots of nice features, is built around safe(ish) overclocking, and it's a current-gen motherboard. It was rated highly by a fair few magazines, and the SLI is/was just a bonus. I can use the second slot as a PCI-Express *1 slot for other types of PCI-X hardware if I need to, which is very useful. I'd say that anyone sticking two medium-range cards into an SLI through choice is rather silly though. It's designed for maximum performance for people with large incomes, and if you aren't taking advantage, the costs aren't really worth it. Why stick two 512 ram sticks into two slots, if you could put in 1 1GB stick? But people know what's best for their own systems and wallets, really. As regards power supplies, I've a Seasonic 600W in the new one. Should keep me going! The processor I bought for several reasons. AMD make good quality, efficient and reliable processors (not to say that Intel don't), AMD processors are favoured by gamers because of real or imagined advantages over Intel for gaming, and I wanted a comparable speed processor for my old 2.8 that was dual-core, but not too expensive. My 2.8 never locked up on me though, so that wasn't a feature I went looking for, or was even really aware of <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /> The 3800+ is me futureproofing, really. The 939 socket should be supported for quite some time still by AMD, so I can stick a decent CPU in there now, and replace when I need to, or when I have the spare cash, without having to buy a new motherboard. Ironically, when I look back at the build, what's taking me the longest time is backing up all my data safely <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... unsure.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='unsure.gif' />

Northern_l33tness · Postby **Northern_l33tness** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:29 am

I can feel you on the backup thing... I'm doing my first clean up in about a year, and it's going to take 8 DVDs. When I told one guy that, he said something implying that I must have a lot of porn in there. In reality, I can proudly say that my anime fansubs take up 2000X as much space as my porn, making me a bona fide uber geek. Agreed on running midrange cards in SLI. However, I actually split my ram on my last rig due to having a dual channel mobo... which wouldn't be a problem except it means I have to pay extra to upgrade it. Nice choice on the Seasonic. I don't own one, but I've heard lots of good stuff about them. It's not like a PowMax, which one guy on a computer forum described as being a good description of their products in action (in a thread about PSUs catching fire). I love AMD's desktop chips, have for years... laptops, not so much (the Pentium/Celeron Ms have lower power consumption and perform pretty well to boot). And while the Pentium M's compare fairly well to the Athlon 64s for gaming if you get one with a high enough clock speed, the Athlon 64 really does trounce the P4 in games... I've seen benches. Under many gameplay situations this won't be noticeable since you're likely to run into a video card speed limit before a CPU one, but I still do consider a fast CPU necessary for future-resistance value (you can't future proof a computer!), because you can tone down your graphics settings, but you can't tone down CPU load much. With my dad's rig, I actually think the worse slowdown in games is when the game has to load something mid level. Most games have them, but if I had more the 512MB it would probably be less noticeable. Also, when I say that dual core rigs won't lock up even when one core is under full load... I guess I should say I meant a single core rig would temporarily lock up under such a situation, it wouldn't permanantly lock. But a dual core wouldn't have the same problem unless both CPUs are under full load Just something that as a multitaskaholic I think is a pretty nice feature. Can't say that I think most computer owners know what's best for their systems, though... the trained ones might, but when you compare the average computer owner to me, there's an obvious choice as to which can make a better recommendation. Also, don't we all wish it were this easy? <a href='ftp://us.vclart.net/vcl/Artists/Style-W ... c%7E25.jpg' target='_blank'>ftp://us.vclart.net/vcl/Artists/Style-W ... br>

Ankaris · Postby **Ankaris** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:49 am

Hahaha, nice strip <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... iggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /> Should be adding the IDE drive today, and that *should* be it done. I had to spend time finding out how to set the jumpers on the friggin' thing. I had an inkling, but it's always best to make sure... Anyway, going back to what I said about people knowing what's best... I guess I worded that slightly wrong. Most people will know what they want from their computer, and vaguely how to get it, but you're right, most don't know the X in A +(B*X) = C <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /> Interesting about the thread on PSUs catching fire. When I was making my choice of a suitable PSU, I picked up a magazine that had done professional testing of quite a few mainstream ones, was a laugh seeing how many had a tendancy to... act dangerously. Especially when one of the unstable ones had a nice, full-page advert in the beginning of the mag! If I remember right, one of the PSUs they tested actually blew up at full-load o_0 Not what you want to put in a nice shiny new computer...

dobbs · Postby **dobbs** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:03 am

Ok, I'll bite. But now I have to decide which one... Well, ok, this one (that I'm currently using). HP Kayak Workstation Dual 500MHz PIII 256MB PC100 8MB STB Velocity 128 4x AGP card 9GB UW SCSI II HD random generic DVD drive Intel E1000 gigabit ethernet PCI card Sound Blaster Live! Value PCI card Running PhOS b5 (BeOS r5 variant) I call it my development system, but I really just use it when I need a vacation from Windows. EDIT: Oh, and can't forget the MS Wheel Mouse Optical (original version, with the spiffy opaque black sides and belly).

Supersmoke · Postby **Supersmoke** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:12 pm

AMD > Intel

Northern_l33tness · Postby **Northern_l33tness** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 6:38 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Supersmoke @ Dec 29 2005, 04:12 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> AMD > Intel  </td></tr></table>  For desktops, yes. But the Pentium M still tends to have much lower power consumption then any of the notebook versions of the Athlon. I'm pretty good with IDE jumpers, but then again I've done a lot of hard drive swaps for everything from backups to testing new OSes (my dad and I always have at least one good spare HD for such purposes). As for the PSUs... I've heard a lot of horror stories on computer forums. One involved a cheap PSU catching fire and not turning off, and another involved one of the worst PSU failure types of all - the "surger". You know, the ones that send a surge through your PC when they go? The guy who had that one had it destroy most of his system. Worst I've had is one that smoked a bit and died on startup after maybe a year, and that was replaced under warrenty. And as to the comic... if it were that easy, I could make James Bond jealous.

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