Here are links to an excellent three part article on the ultimate and budget GNU/Linux box. I have found it very helpful. For the budget box the author of the article chose the ASUS A8N-SLI.
Components: http://www.linuxhardware.org/article.pl?sid=05/10/04/1356245&mode=thread Hardware Installation: http://www.linuxhardware.org/article.pl?sid=05/10/04/1356245&mode=thread Performance and Benchmarks: http://www.linuxhardware.org/article.pl?sid=05/12/06/2138210&mode=thread I am also buying a new machine but have chosen the GigaByte GA-K8N Ultra-9, for a few reasons: 1. I don't need SLI. I'd rather have the extra PCI slot that non-SLI mobo's have. 2. This board has built in FireWire IEEE 1394b, notice the "b", 3.2Gbps as apposed to the older 400 Mbps standard. 3. It has on board WiFi, quite nice. 4. My reseller says Gigabyte has better service in Israel. I have listed below the components I have chosen for my new system. I must stress that although I have researched the components for Linux compatibility, I have not yet received or elsewhere tested the components. I will report back with compatibility results in a few weeks. Here is the configuration I have chosen (comments are welcome). Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-K8N ULTRA-9 CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Dual Core GPU: nVidia GeForce 6600 PCIEX 256MB HDD: 2 X WD 2000JS (SATA 3Gb 200GB) RAM: 2GB (512x4) DVD: Two, one reader only and one RW Diskette Drive: For BIOS upgrades Case: ThermalTake Soprano Power Supply: ThermalTake 460W Keyboard: Logitech Mouse: Logitech Optical Monitor: Samsung 960BF LCD 19" Video Capture Card: Pinnacle PCI-500 Speakers: Altec Lansing ATP3 Headset: Logitech Premium USB Headset 350 Scanner: Epson 3490 UPS: Ippon 1000KV Bluetooth: USB dongle Chaim Oleg Goldshmidt wrote: >Hi everyone, > >I am looking into buying a new computer, and I am considering 64-bit >AMD. One of the things I am getting a bit uncertain about is the level >of support for AMD motherboards commonly available in neighbourhood >computer shops. It is going to be my main home station, and it is >important to me that things will work out of the box more or less OK >with modern distros (e.g. Fedora 4), and that I don't spend too much >time and effort downloading different drivers from assorted >manufacturers that will provide partial functionality with particular >kernel versions etc. In other words, I put a premium on minimizing the >hassle. I also don't want to buy new HW every year or two - I want a >box that will serve me for the next few years. It will not be greatly >stressed, but stability and longevity is very important. > >The more I read the more concerned I become. For instance, the latest >AMD mobo I've been offered is ASUS A8N-VM CSM. I tried to look through >2.6 kernel configuration options and also read some reviews, >especially Linux-related ones. Here is a typical (and recent) one: > >http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/77909774/m/924000436731/p/1 > >- I certainly don't want any of the hassle and instabilities and >cooling problems listed there. > >Rather than reading more reviews of different mobos and getting more >and more worried, I would love to hear about experiences and >suggestions. > >* Have you got a mobo that worked out of the box and without a major > driver hassle? > >* Have you got a mobo that you would advise staying away from? > >* Will I be better off with Intel-based systems given my requirements? > CPU performance is not really critical for me, 64-bit Intel systems > seem to sell cheaper than low-end Athlon64's, possibly at the > expense of some performance, the mobos I've been offered have Intel > GPUs and Realtek NICs that seem to be better supported - is this > impression an illusion? > >Any relevant advice will be appreciated. > > > ================================================================= To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
