Hey everyone! So I am very new to this site. I'm a newbie to both the Linux world and computer world in general. My only real experience with comps is with Windows. I used it for both school and just to mess around on line. So I will be buying a new computer for school and some other applications. I plan on using SUSE 9.3. The computer I plan on buying is below:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Hard Drive: 200GB Western Digital 7200rpm w/ 8MB Buffer SATA
Memory: 512 MB (2 x 256MB)
Video Card: nVidia FX6200 64MB w/ DVI, S-Video, DB15 Outputs - eVGA

Is there anything else I should look out for? I already have a new printer a HP 1310 INkJet.

Anyways, would love to hear any comments of hints )

Brett (aka marvi)

P.S.
It is amazing how many of the big name computer brands and stores are so unhelpful when it comes to Linux (

It's not at all amazing to me. Annoying, yes, but not amazing.

What kindof motherboard will you be using?

Yeah, I wont mention any stores by name but they all seem to just have no knowledge of Linux or try and stear you clear of it all together.

Anyways, the mother board will be a tMSI KMK8T NEO FSR Motherboard - Socket 754, K8T800 VIA, SATA ( I think ). Not too up to date on or knowledgable about mother boards

Marvi

I think that's the same (or a similar mobo) to one I saw in a make.com article recently... they were building a home-theater PC. I know it was a MSI for an Athlon 64, but I could be off on the exact model. Looks like it would be good though.

The only store I know of that actually offers REAL linux SUPPORT is MicroCenter. And I will mention them by name because I applaud the practice of selling Linux (even if it is Linspire) and having people who know SOMETHING about linux.

My buddy has purchased all his computers through Microcenter. He LOVES them. I have played around with the PowerSpec models (in house built) and they are great quality and great value. I was down at the store up in Costa Mesa and they only had the Linspire version then but said they would have SuSe 9.3. Most people I have chatted with about Linspire say no to it. They say it is too much Like windows. Or they call it the AOL of the Linux world. Or they just hate the CNR feature and that you have to pay around 40 or 50 bucks a year for software ( don't know they reall amount ). It does look great though Great colors, pictures and very eay to use ( from what I see and read ). But yeah, I don't know all the facts about it. I just hear people saying no to it.

Anyways, thanks for the help :0

Marvi

I'd spend the extra money now and get 2 sticks of 512 RAM (you could probably get them for $50 each). Linux uses all RAM available in a very effecient manner, so each megabyte you put in is money well spent.
Also, check to make sure that the printer will be compatible, I personally don't do much printing but a lot of the problems people have end up being related to unsupported hardware.

I gotta check out their powerspec's.

I've had disappointing results with 64-bit installs. The 64-bit SuSE 9.3 live DVD locks my AMD 64 3200+ Compaq up hard. And if you're going to end up using 32-bit anyway, I dunno, but Intel chipset mobos are pretty reliable under Linux and worth considering IMHO.

Oh, I'd get the extra RAM too BTW, whichever mobo you end up using.

Walmart has a linspire notebook and desktop that are cheap and come with linux compatible modems. Maybe you'd be interested in that.

I've heard about the suse's 64bit being somewhat unstable but not all 64bit distros are like that. but yes 512Mb is not a lot of ram. get as much as you can. you won't regret it

Forgot to mention: hp has linux drivers for their products check out hpoj and hplip