From owner-freebsd-questions  Sun Oct  5 14:37:12 1997
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions>
Received: (from root@localhost)
          by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.7/8.8.7) id OAA11534
          for questions-outgoing; Sun, 5 Oct 1997 14:37:12 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from fly.HiWAAY.net (root@fly.HiWAAY.net [208.147.154.56])
          by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.7/8.8.7) with ESMTP id OAA11522
          for <questions@FreeBSD.ORG>; Sun, 5 Oct 1997 14:37:07 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from nospam.hiwaay.net (tnt1-180.HiWAAY.net [208.147.147.180])
	by fly.HiWAAY.net (8.8.7/8.8.6) with ESMTP id QAA19887;
	Sun, 5 Oct 1997 16:34:16 -0500 (CDT)
Received: from nospam.hiwaay.net (localhost [127.0.0.1])
          by nospam.hiwaay.net (8.8.7/8.8.4) with ESMTP
	  id QAA28970; Sun, 5 Oct 1997 16:33:45 -0500 (CDT)
Message-Id: <199710052133.QAA28970@nospam.hiwaay.net>
X-Mailer: exmh version 2.0zeta 7/24/97
To: Chris <theta@voicenet.com>
cc: questions@FreeBSD.ORG
From: dkelly@hiwaay.net
Subject: Re: Brand of PC to buy? 
In-reply-to: Message from Chris <theta@voicenet.com> 
   of "Fri, 04 Oct 1996 19:29:09 EDT." <3.0.2.32.19961004192909.0091c870@popmail.voicenet.com> 
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Date: Sun, 05 Oct 1997 16:33:31 -0500
Sender: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
X-Loop: FreeBSD.org
Precedence: bulk

Chris <theta@voicenet.com> asks:
>
> I am wondering what brand of PC is the favorite of FreeBSD users.  I am
> starting a web presence provider and plan on using FreeBSD servers so I
> will be purchasing my initial servers soon.  I have FreeBSD installed on a
> Gateway 2000 desktop system right now and it is running fine, but Gateway
> is awfully expensive compared to many other brands.
> 
> So, my question is what brand of computer is your favorite buy for FreeBSD
> servers (or do you buy your own hardware and build it yourself)?  Also, any
> recommendations on hard drive brands (I'm thinking Seagate SCSI, but is
> there a better brand?)

I my opinion, there is no good brand of computer to buy for FreeBSD. Buy
parts and assemble your own. You will select your own parts for your own
reasons, not Gateway's.

There are hardware reference guides at http://www.bsdi.com and on
http://www.freebsd.org that go into excellent detail as to "why this"
or "why that". The only thing I saw on those links that I question is
an anti-ATX phobia (vs. AT MB format). Don't think I'd buy a new system
with an AT motherboard, the blasted CPU and fan get in the way of the
I/O cards.

Buy parity memory, even if it is not EDO (very unlikely you'll find EDO
or be able to tell any performance difference).

Buy the very best power supply you can. And UPS.

Buy multiple smaller HD's rather than one big one.

Splurge. Pay $20 for a good bulk-pack Logitech PS/2 3-button mouse. Skip
the $5 cheapie mouse.

--
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@hiwaay.net
=====================================================================
The human mind ordinarily operates at only ten percent of its
capacity -- the rest is overhead for the operating system.