Thank you to everyone who replied. I think the best thing for me right now would be to NOT try to build my own. Some of the low-profile ones taht people suggested--Acer, Zotac--seem like theyd be powerful enough for my needs and able to be modified appropriately e.g. with an SSD.
(I had a Zotac a few years ago and I really liked it, in fact; I put Ubuntu on it and used it as a HTPC, but eventually stuck it back on the shelf because i needed Netflix so replaced it with a Mac Mini.) I do keep thinking about virtualization, and wanting to have enough computing power for that. But realistically, evey time i try to run a virtual machine, i play around with it for a while and get it to work and then conclude i don't really need to run a VM, so I delete it and stick with my real box. So whatever desire i have to have a powerful machine that can run several VMs, i force myself to conclude that im just not going to do this. Ken specifically--i do have GigE on my router and NAS, and I do regularly move huge files around, so its a real-world need. On Sunday, October 20, 2013 9:00 AM, ken <geb...@mousecar.com> wrote: Jen, > >First, congratulations on going about this the correct way, i.e., >delineating what you want to do with the machine before going shopping. > Most people buy a computer first, then try to do things with it that >the machine will do only poorly, if at all. > >I'd recommend instead as a general strategy to buy an already-built >computer... what just about everybody does. Take your specifications >(pretty much what you emailed to the list) to your local computer outlet >and have the salesperson actually write down which machines they sell >which satisfy those specs. Alternatively, you could email your specs to >an online salesperson and have them reply to your email with machines >they sell which satisfy the specs. > >If you can't find a ready-made machine that's what you want, then you'll >have to fill in the gaps by installing cards in slots. It should be, >for example, fairly easy to buy a card which gives you a couple more USB >ports. Note though that the card you buy has to match the slot. This >might be especially critical if you need to install a second video card. > Don't actually buy the machine until you're certain that all the cards >you're going to need to install will fit-- physically and technically-- >into the slots on the motherboard. This goes of course for the RAM too, >though this is hardly ever as problematic. > >Re: gigabit ethernet: Are all the other nodes on your local networks >also running this, including your router? If not, then it's a >questionable feature. > > >That's enough for now. >Good luck, >ken > > > >On 10/19/2013 02:58 PM Dr. Jennifer Nussbaum wrote: >> My current desktop has been having some issues lately and I think its >> time to consider replacing it. Ive been having trouble finding exactly >> what I want, even tho' this is straightforward, so i though I'd ask here >> to get some advice, maybe even about building my own machine (which Ive >> never done but am willing to learn). >> >> This is to run Wheezy for simple desktop use--web surfing, running home >> music network, some videos, some coding, but no gaming, no video/sound >> editing, no real storage needs. >> >> I DO want: >> >> Small or smallish form factor (currently using a slim tower), attractive >> SSD (small capacity--everything impt is on a NAS elsewhere, i just >> want the system to run fast) >> Ability to have two monitors (currently using VGA and HDMI 'cause >> that's the ports i have) >> Optical drive >> Lots of USB ports (3.0 not really necessary but wouldnt hurt I guess) >> Gigabit Ethernet >> Relatively quiet, energy efficient >> 8 GB RAM (for future-proofing, don't normally need much) >> >> I DON"T want or don't care about: >> >> Massive speed and 16 cores (but want enough that I wont need to >> replace in a year) >> Fancy video card (built-in has always been fine, if I can watch >> movies that's all i need) >> Fancy sound card (I use USB into a DAC for serious things) >> Massive mechanical HD >> >> When i look at computers from HP or Lenovo, it looks like it costs a >> fortune to add a SSD (and i dont want to buy a separate one from Crucial >> and then have the original one in a box on my shelf) and memory. The >> cheaper machines seem to be worrisomely basic, like in a year they won't >> be able to run YouTube, and the more expensive ones still need upgrades >> of SSD and RAM. And in particular the smaller form factors tend to be >> pretty spendy. >> >> But i have literally no idea how to assemble a machine from scratch, and >> in trying to browse i dont even know how to find a smaller form >> factor--i cant find an elegant slim case, just huge fancy gaming ones, >> or dull ugly boxes of various sizes. >> >> All advice appreciated, thank you! >> >> Jen > > >
