CompUSA PKG i System

[alfredo]

Today, Suday Oct 22 CrampUSA is running a special on a partial computer for $299. You get the case, keyboard, mouse, two speakers, 40X CD ROM drive, 56k fax modem (100% sure it's WinblowsModem) AMD-K6-2+/5000 Processor with 3DNow! Technology,200w power supply,AGP 3D graphics accelerator, and Micro ATX case. You will have to supply the OS http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

The soundcard is on the motherboard, so I don't know how Linux or QNX will react to it.

Your job, if you accept it, is to see if it can run Linux. It will need a hard drive, I know I can scrounge one up somewhere, and RAM. Those two items if bought at retail will put the price up to around $600. Add another century note for a real modem.

Monitors? I have two sitting in the corner.

I could always put BeOS on it if Linux is impossible. Windows, Hell No!


So good luck, happy hunting, and report back if you survive.

[Undernined]

For $600-$700 it would be better if you just built a computer from scratch.figure it like this:

- ATX case with power supply- ~$40.00
- ATX motherboard- ~$130
- processor (Intel or AMD, it don't matter)- ~$70-$200
- 7200rpm IDE harddirve 15GB- ~$60-$70
- ide cdrom- ~$40
- Floppy- ~$7
- ram- depends on amount but shouldn't be generic, taht can cause lots of problems
- soundblaster LIVE! Value- ~$40
- geforceMX- ~$100
- keyboard- ~$10 for plain ~$30 for ergo one
-modem ~$100 for a decent one
-speakers- $15-$200 depends on you
-grand total- ~$760- even less if you already got some of the little things(i.e. mouse, keyboard, floppy,etc.)
thats only alittle more than what you would end up paying to update the CompUSA system, and it would perform alot better than it would. If you can install Linux or hardware, building a computer isnt such a daunting task. You would've had to do pretty much the same thing if you got the CompUsa system. And in the event that you run into a problem, just post it here. I'm sure that someone could help. The approx. prices are representitive of prices that I have found on www.pricewatch.com. (http://www.pricewatch.com.) I've built about 6 computers from scratch and they list the best prices from alot of different vendors.
Hope that I could be of some help.

[alfredo]

Thanks. I went to CompUSA and they cracked open the case. It is a piece of crap. I can do better by doing what you suggest.

I can get a good system built, with Linux preinstalled and a 17" monitor for $1,000.They said that they'd even leave a partition so I can install my pirated Windows OS. That was tongue in cheek, but also a bow to reality.

BTW, just heard that if Bush gets elected, he will have the anti trust case dropped against MS. That could be bad news for platform independence. Heard it on an NBC investor news program. Scary stuff.I hate election years.