Homebrew vs. Preassembled Desktop Computers

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

Poll question: Homebrew vs. Preassembled Desktop Computers

I've been assembling my own PCs for about a decade now and run Windows on them. Despite the many aggravations that can accompany this hobby, I find it strangely gratifying and wouldn't do otherwise at this point.

Poll result (49 votes)
When I purchase a computer, it's preassembled, and runs some version of Windows.	(7 votes, 14%)	Vote
When I purchase a computer, it's preassembled and is a Mac.	(8 votes, 16%)	Vote
I assemble my desktop computers out of component parts these days, and run mostly Windows.	(21 votes, 43%)	Vote
I assemble my computers out of component parts these days, and run mostly Linux.	(11 votes, 22%)	Vote
Other...	(2 votes, 4%)	Vote

[hobbit709]

1. Yep. the best way to go

Build your own. You can start with what you have and can afford and upgrade as you go. I've probably built about a 100 in the last 10 years for myself and others. Even the store-bought ones I refurbish are about half custom by the time I get done.

[Nite Owl]

2. Always bought the

preassembled but the next one won't be.

[Junkdrawer]

3. I started back in '92 when I realized a new few $hundred motherboard...

every so often beat a few $thousand computer upgrade. Prices have come down, but I still upgrade piecemeal. Now-a-days I often go barebones when I need a case/power supply upgrade.

[Buzz Clik]

4. I'm a lazy bag of rocks, and we get great discounts ....

However, my kids tend to build their own.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Build my own, mostly Linux now (dual boot)

But I have to admit, I learned a lot by upgrading my old (2001) Dell with components. Of course, it was very limited in terms of what you could do with it (no processor upgrade, 512 mb memory max on the motherboard, and apparently the motherboard size was non-standard, so you couldn't switch it out), but before I started fiddling with it, I didn't know jack about hardware. Doing stuff like switching out soundcards and video cards, psu, and adding HDs really helped me when it came time to build my own. Will never buy pre-assembled again. It's too much fun to build, and for this non-science/non-engineer type, really impresses the missus, although she could do without the newegg and tigerdirect deliveries/ bills.

[rucky]

6. Last time, I paid somebody who assembles computers.

to build one for me. He used my old casing and some existing components and upgraded everything else for $350. It's been running for 2 years like this without any problems.

[ReverendDeuce]

7. My own stuff, I build... but stuff at work...

I'm in IT, just FYI.

I buy Dells at work. I know they're red. But damnit, they are cheap, they work, we get good tech support, and I can order a dozen or more at a time without hassles.

However, I refuse to buy Dell servers. I buy HP iron exclusively. HP makes strong, strong servers. They are fast and built like tanks.

For home, I always build my own because I want cutting edge stuff. You can't get cutting edge from the big names or if you can, they want 2x the price.

[gula]

8. Have them built from scratch. My oldest one is over ten+ years

old and still runs like a dream. Of course it doesn't run windows, but I still run my favourite accounting programme and some games on it. Since those are not cluttered with mostly useless add-ons, ir runs much faster.

[skids]

9. I used to roll my own desktops.

I do not anymore. The power electronics are too cheaply made and used laptops are much better. I bought a $400 used laptop a couple months ago and swapped it for my main workstation -- about the equivalent amount of computing power, and it'll pay for itself in 2 years in electricity savings.

Of course, if I was going to do some high-end gaming, I'd make a new PCI-Express desktop.

All my machines run Linux.

[billbuckhead]

10. Apple's Macintosh market share soars 16 percent

Apple's Macintosh market share soars 16 percent
By Jim Dalrymple

"Buoyed by ever increasing shipments of Macintosh computers, Apple has quieted its Intel transition detractors by posting double-digit market share increases. Two market research firms have pegged Apple’s growth at over 15 percent with one giving them a 16 percent increase.

With Mac shipments rising from 655,000 to 760,000 year-over-year for the second quarter, Apple’s U.S. market jumped from 4.4 percent in 2005 to 4.8 percent in 2006 — a double-digital growth of 16 percent, according to market research firm IDC."
--------------snip----------------------------
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/07/20/marketshare/ind... >

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. What does that have to do with this poll on DUer's computer habits?

[ecoalex]

12. The ultimate homebrew OS Linux

I'm surprised you run Mr Bill's ratty OS, when there are so many Linux systems you could use.Can't beat Linux for home brewed operating systems.You can create your own os based on Linux kernals.That's home brewing !

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. It's because of gaming that I run Windows.

[billyskank]

19. Yes that is a problem

Id Software are heroes for porting all their games, but Microsoft are continuing their attempts to sideline OpenGL and force all game developers to use Direct3D.

[Jazzgirl]

14. I've been building my own computers for about 8 years now.

I wouldn't buy a desktop off the shelf. I always feel a sense of accomplishment that I can take all those parts and put them together and then thing actually works! I don't have all the preinstalled "junk" computer makers load.

That box looks great!

JG

Edited for spelling!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. It's not mine, but the ones I do tend to have a similar generic "Millenium

Falcum" look. I'm a sucker for the gaudy neon stuff too.

[Jazzgirl]

16. I'm a sucker for the gaudy stuff too.

My current box has some of those gaudy lights inside. Looks really neat when you walk into the room with the lights off.

[qnr]

17. I build my own, and run Linux, Minux, and BSD. However, I do buy classic

computers (Ataris, Amigas, etc.).

[billyskank]

18. Assembling your own computer is a good idea if you run Linux

Because that way you can avoid paying the Microsoft tax.

Quite difficult to buy a PC without Windows. Possible, but difficult.

[catmandu57]

20. Half and half

Once I overcame my fear of cracking the box open and playing around with things it's gotten to be fun for the most part. I buy refurbished salvage computers and add drives, cards, stuff like that. I've went from being a shade tree mechanic, to a shade tree computer geek.
I use windows because that's what I've always used and I'm used to it.

[B3Nut]

21. Homebrew all the way

my company is that way as well (I work in IT). We build all our own desktops and servers in-house to our own spec, and now we even build our own notebooks from Asus barebone kits (I'm typing this on an Asus barebone laptop I put together for work.)

You get exactly what you want, you get industry-standard components, and you don't have to worry about an proprietary BIOS or connector monkey-business (like many Dell power supplies with their intentionally-miswired connectors, fortunately they're moving away from that nonsense.)

Of course, if you need a Macintosh, you're stuck with Apple...but I love upgrading those G5 towers, my goodness they're works of art. We use Macs in our advertising department. I usually can get them to play nice with the Windows network (their files live on the Server 2003 file server).

But for Windows and Linux boxen, roll your own. It's not too difficult, and it's a lot of fun. Taking a store-bought computer out of the box and running it isn't nearly as satisfying as seeing a machine you put together rumble to life for the first time!

Todd in Beerbratistan