I've really enjoyed reading this post, and there are a lot of great ideas. I assembled my first computer back in 2003. Before that, I knew how to upgrade my processor, ram, and video card, but not how to do the whole thing. A Comcast technician came over to hook up my Internet, and after talking with him, he said, why not build your own. I came together for about $300 and it was a P4 1.7Ghz with 256MB DDR ram and 32 MB AGP memory, and an 80GB ATA100 HDD. Needless to say, I thought that was pretty fast back then. Since then, I've built four other computers. I built my current spare computer for about $190. It's an AMD AM2 X2 2.1 GHz ($30 used on ebay), 1 GB PC5400 ram ($10 used ebay), MSI motherboard ($15 used on ebay), Nvidia Geforce 8400 256MB GDDR2 ($20 new on ebay), OCZ 500W power supply ($30 new on ebay), Sony DVD-RW drive ($20 new on ebay), Sony CD-RW drive ($15 new on ebay), a 250 GB WD SATA HDD ($20 used on ebay), a zalman copper heat sink fan ($30 new on ebay), and a used case of mine with a 80mm case fan. I went with AMD AM2 because it was cheaper than an Intel system. Also, a year ago I pledged to the FSF to only buy AMD computers because they support core boot bios; whereas, Intel does not (a bit off topic). I also run GNU/Linux on my spare computer which is a free operating system. Otherwise, there would be less incentive for me to build my own because an OEM Windows license is at least $100, except for with my own computer I know what components are in it and how much upgrade room it will have before it's maxed out/too obsolete. Although I don't like my computer sounding like a lawn mower, I've never been that picky about noise. Quieter components seem to cost more, but would be worth it if that's what your after. Most newer AMD and Intel processors support virtualization (I know that AMD AM2 does, but it's level 2 cache is wimpier than AM3 and Intel cpus). Also, most new motherboards support 8GB ram or more, so that shouldn't be a problem. RAID is becoming more common, so find a motherboard that supports it. However, there's different types of RAID which vary in reliability and setup, so do your homework as for which one you want. A mid tower case and an ATX form factor motherboard that fits it to it should be pretty easy to find, but a cube shape may be more exotic. However, make sure that other components such as cpu fans/water coolers and graphics cards will fit inside your case as well. Make sure that you have an adequate power supply that is certified. Your motherboard should support that number of USB ports that your dream case has. (PCI expansion cards with additional USB ports are available, and you can daisy chain USB devices with hubs to a certain degree). AMD socket AM3 has quad core processors, and get a board with fast DDR3 memory. In the end, it takes some research to build your perfect rig, and even more digging and hunting if you have specific needs. You could probably find many different combinations that fit your needs. So what it will come down to is price, how much work you want to do building it, functionality, and style. I usually start with the manual of the motherboard that I'm interested in downloaded from the manufacturer's web site, and It will tell you what components your board is compatible with, its size, and where things like the cpu sit so that there's enough room for the fan, etc. in your computer case. Also, although I buy most of my stuff on ebay to save money, it's a bit risky because you never know if what your getting works or is 100% compatible. Therefore, as others have mentioned, stick with a reputable Web site with reviews such as Tigerdirect.com or <a href="http://newegg.com">newegg.com</a>. I know that tiger has some bare bones kits and pre-assembled OEM computers, so check those out to simplify things. Now that I know how to assemble a respectable, if piecemeal rig, I'll never go back to name brand computers such as Dell, Gateway, and (shutter) E-machines ;-) P.S. Get a quality motherboard with solid capacitors, and not a sucky one if you expect it to last.<br>
<br>Jason Ash<br>