Originally posted by dansamy We do build our own PCs. Have for years. I can remember ordering "bare bones" kits from the ads in the back of one of the computer magazines. Before e-commerce took over the world. And they sent a printed catalogue with your order...
My first PC was a hand me down that was originally from Boeing Surplus. Mrs. Racer's son gave it to me, and after it sat around for a few months she threatened to toss it if I didn't do something with it.
So I did.
The OS was WinBlows 95.
And it wasn't long before I had the case open, and was upgrading things. Soon it just wasn't cutting it, so I went to the local computer store (find one of those today!) and got a motherboard, processor, memory, etc. and built my first machine.
The rest is history.
I have built every computer I own since then. Currently I have 4 desktop machines, two that are CAD workstations with dual display systems, and 5 laptops, which I dislike because you can't really build one and the screens are too small. I also have a LAN set up in my house. When we were building I ran all the CAT 5 network stuff, and have a place in the basement for a server, which I plan to build soon (why spend several thousand bucks when you can build for a few hundred?).
Each of the desktop machines I have built cost about $1,000 to buy the components. When people learn of my technical skills they ask if I can build one for them, and when I tell them what the parts will cost and that I want something for my labor the balk and whine that "So and so had a computer for $200!"
I try to explain the difference between a $200 computer and what I would put together and their eyes glaze over. I even try to make clear that one could spend 3 times what I do to put together a CAD workstation or a killer gaming machine, but they still just don't get it.
So I tell them to go buy the $200 machine and have fun.