[cooker-amd64] Re: Proposed A64 platform for Mandrake A64

[Duncan]

Wood Brent posted <20040128084527.63723.qmail@web12206.mail.yahoo.com>,
excerpted below,  on Wed, 28 Jan 2004 00:45:27 -0800:

> I am looking at basing it on the Shuttle XPC system, A64 3200+ cpu, with a
> conventional 80Gb IDE HDD (I'd like a Raptor 74Gb SATA drive, but my budget
> won't stretch) and a 440MX nVidia graphics card.

A couple points..

First one is somewhat regional in application.  You don't mention where
you are or your source for the components, but I've been using
pricewatch.com at least for price comparisons, for a number of upgrade
cycles now, and often find lower prices posted there than a lot of other
places.  Since you mentioned the budget issue, I thought I'd mention
pricewatch.  Even if you can't get shipping from there (US) to your neck
of the woods, it's worth checking, just to get a feel for what street
prices SHOULD be.  If you are paying MUCH more than the low prices there,
perhaps it's worth looking around some more.  If you are paying LESS, then
you have a rather good deal indeed!  (Pricewatch doesn't sell stuff
directly, but serves as a list point for independent vendors that do. 
Thus, you just use them as a contact point, then order from the retailer
listed.)

I guess in general that means don't just shop at your local brick and
mortar store(s), when it comes to computer components.  Check out the
competitive landscape on the web as well, particularly if you are budget
limited, as I invariably am, and you mentioned you are.

Second point.  You mention NVidia for graphics.  Are you aware of the
hassles that means to run their proprietary drivers?  The open nv drivers
do the basics, but just the basics, on most NVidia graphics boards,
because NVidia is to stingy with their interface data and won't give the
open source guys enough info to support it them properly. I know, as I
made the NVidia mistake shortly b4 I switched to Linux, knowing they had
drivers, but not realizing the difference between proprietary and open
Linux drivers.  My board had dual video out, and only their proprietary
drivers handled that.   I recently switched to ATI, which tho they DO have
proprietary drivers available, are more open with their info, so the open
drivers do most stuff too.   I vowed I'd NEVER use NVidia again, until
they started cooperating a bit better with the open source folks, as it
was just to much hassle fighting with the closed source drivers every time
I upgraded the kernel or XFree (in addition, of course, to the idealistic
stuff).

If you are aware of the issues and have reason to choose NVidia anyway, go
ahead.  It's your system, not mine.  However, if you are not, I'd suggest
you check out the situation a bit b4 investing in anything more than a
cheap throw-away Nvidia card, particularly as you mentioned budget,
implying you may not be upgrading again for awhile.  I just know **I'M**
not going to be giving them any more of MY money, until they change their
attitude re: open source.  Once was ENOUGH!

-- 
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." --
Benjamin Franklin