[Cialug] Buying a new PC

[sthiessen at passitonservices.org]

Why not an Intel Mac? Couldn't you set that up three ways even?

Stuart
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

-----Original Message-----
From: "Jason Warden" <jason at benalto.com>

Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:22:54 
To:cialug at cialug.org
Subject: [Cialug] Buying a new PC


Hello Cialug!
I have a question. I'm buying a PC for the first time in a few years after using primarily Macs. This PC will have to have Windows on it as well as Linux as my wife takes online classes at DMACC. I've just spent a few hours browsing at tigerdirect.com <http://tigerdirect.com>  and it's quite the different world out there, isn't it?? I have a few questions (Linux and Windowz related), if anyone wants to take the time to answer:
1) This new SATA transport for drives - Linux doesn't have a problem with this, does it? Anything I should know? 
2) One desktop I really liked on tigerdirect is actually a 64 bit. I know Linux has had 64 bit support for years, but I've heard iffy things about using XP with 64 bit systems (and I don't trust Vista yet) Would it be possible to put a 32 bit XP and a 64 bit *nix on the same computer? Are those 64 bits backwards compatible to the OS level?? I don't think this is possible because I think the RAM you buy commits you to your bitrate; is that correct? 
3) In the past (I was a hardcore Linux user from about '97 to '03) I've always preferred the easy-on-the-user stuff like SuSE and Mandrake/Mandriva. My biggest issues have been with the crazy package management systems (apt-get on SusE 9 worked pretty well but then 'broke'...) What is the easiest distribution in terms of package management going these days? I know this question may start a flamewar, sorry. 
4) Nvdia are still the Linux friendly graphics people, right?

Thanks 

Jason
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