So I want to get a desktop and put slackware on it, and I want to get some input on this.

My main useage will be programing, internet, music playing, and image editing, probaly all at the same time, becuase I tend to start something and switch halfway into it.

Here is what I choose for my specs:

Box
Option A:
http://www.pcpartsohio.com/customize.aspx?system_id=16
With a 90 day warranty.
256 megs of ram.
40 gig harddrive.
And the second case selection.
Totaling: $132.95.
I also see that they are used.

Option B:
http://www.ascendtech.us/customkitit...DTCELD21325640
Intel P4 / Celeron 478-Pin Motherboards
Intel D865gv S.478 533/800fsb Gateway


Intel Celeron 478-Pin Processors
Intel Celeron D 315 2.26ghz 533fsb S.478


CPU Processor Fan
High-Speed Cooling Fan With Heatsink


System Memory

512mb Pc3200 400mhz Ddr Major Brand [Subtract 57.00]
or
2 X 512mb Ddr400 Pc3200 Total Of 1gb

Hard Drive

120gb Ide Hard Drive Major Brand

Internal Floppy Drives
Mitsumi 3.5" Black Floppy Disk Drive


Agp Video Cards
64mb Onboard Agp Video Adapter

Cd-Rom Drives
Optorite 52x24x52x Eide Cd-Rw

Sound Cards
3d Stereo Sound Card Adapter

Dvd / Dvd±R / Dvd±Rw Drives
Lite-On 16x / 40 Max Dvd-Rom Drive


Networking
10/100 Network Adapter (Lan)

Internal Modems
None Selected - Choose

Tower Cases
Atx Beige Midtower Case W/ Power Supply

Case Cooling Fan
High-Speed Case Cooling Fan 80mm

Totaling 458.91 with 1gig of ram
Or
Totaling 397.91 wutg 512 megs of ram.

Monitors
I'm think maybe a 19 inch monitor, that I like the way it looks. So this one should work:
http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/contro...tails?id=61681

Keybord
I'm having trouble finding a keyboard that I would prefer. White, with the \ and | keys above enter. It's so hard to find a keyboard like that.

Mice
http://www.buyxg.com/store/item.asp?key=MO-103-107
I know it is microsoft, but it's seems like a nice mouse.

Speaker
These seem fine.
http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/advance...ywords=SD-1168

I would like some input on this.

Really not that bad for the price but it doesn't really say exactly what hardware is included. I have a "newer" gateway I've finagled to work with Slackware 11 and after some tweaking it works rather well. It will work.Seems like pretty standard stuff to me. You shouldn't have any problems getting this to work. I don't think you'll need a gigabyte of RAM though unless you plan on breaking into some more meaty programs or your habit of keeping a lot of things open is bad. I mean, when you say you do all those things do you frequently do all of that at the same time? Basically think of the Gigabyte of RAM as more an investment in the future than an extreme necessity. Nice to have though. Floppies are floppies... it'll work. I guess hard drives are too. It doesn't really say what hardware you'll be getting for the hard drive but chances are that it'll work just fine. 120GB is better than 40 any way you look at it. It will certainly support your uses in the long term much better.AGP is supported but it doesn't say what the actual graphics hardware is. Same for the Sound Card. You should be able to get them to work if it doesn't out of the box. Until you know what hardware it is I guess you won't know for sure if you'll have to do a little tweaking. I've never heard of Optorite but I'm pretty sure you won't have any problems. This stuff shouldn't be too bad to get working if it doesn't at first. Certainly not any more mysterious than the Gateway.These should be supported just fine. Glad to see you're not going after a modem. Saved yourself some hassle there...Since these are options that they're giving you as part of a package then I don't see why they wouldn't be bad choices. They'll certainly work, that's for sure. Maybe a hardware guru could offer a more "picky" opinion.As long as you're buying it and you'll have access to information like the vertical and horizontal sync frequencies so that's a good things really. No matter which monitor you have you'll have to set it up so get what you like.Keyboards are keyboards. I really can't see having a problem with it. I happen to have that mouse as one of many and it works just fine. As long as xorg.conf is setup okay the it'll work just fine. Either way, make sure to pick PS/2 during setup and when you setup xorg.conf with xorgsetup you should choose IMPS/2.Speakers are speakers, no problems.

The second option, though more expensive, is the superior computer. I personally would go with that one over the Gateway. First of all... it's a Gateway. They tend to have "special" parts for their stuff. You probably have maxed out your RAM slots by adding on, it's a P3, and it's used. That computer is either not going to last long, or not be viable for very long with what you want to do with it. I'd say bite down and get the better computer now. You shouldn't have any trouble getting Slackware to run on that. Any problems you might have are fixable but I can't see any now. If you're worried about the hardware compatibility then you should get as much info about the hardware and compare it to LQ's HCL (link at top).

Good luck.

Thanks, I was veering toward the better PC, expecially after what I say with the used factor.

About ram, I will go with 512, and upgrade if I see fit. That seems like the best idea.

About the keyboard, since I am going to be using it for a while, I want a keyboard that doesn't have cheap dell like keys. And I want a white keyboard, with all the keys. It's hard to find stuff that specific.

Well, I was discussing this with my Dad, and he came with this:
"You are going to need to do school work, in Windows format. So I recomend that you dual boot Windows and Linux."
So I say, "There is a software, Open Office org, that lets you save the files as .doc format, or whatever windows is. So that isn't a problem." That is correct, right?
He also said, "You have an interest in video editing, can youc do that with Linux?"
And you can't do that very well, so a problem arises.

I use Vegas 6, and it gets the job done. I know Vegas well, and I can use it well. Do you think I can use Wine with that? Or is there a diffrent program that works as well as Vegas 6?

Or, maybe I should just get Apple, OS X. I mean, it costs $30 more then windows, and runs twice as well. Any way I can dual boot OS X, and Linux on the PC? Or do I need a mac?

Hello? Anyone want to reply?