[Cialug] Buying a new PC

[Jeffrey C. Ollie]

On Sun, 2007-09-30 at 14:22 -0500, Jason Warden wrote:
> 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.

Why does the course require Windows?  Is it a Microsoft/Windows class?
AFAIK the basic course interface doesn't require Windows.  (Disclaimer -
I work for DMACC, but not on the online course systems.)

>  I've just spent a few hours browsing at 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?

Yes, SATA drives should work just fine.  I've had SATA drives in one of
my main systems for a couple of years now.

> 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?

Yes.  Until my wife's laptop died she was running 32-bit windows XP on
an AMD 64-bit CPU without problems.  It's even possible to run 32-bit
Linux on a 64-bit system.  Avoid Vista like the plague.

>  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? 

You need to buy your RAM to match the CPU/motherboard... OS choice
doesn't enter into it...

> 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.

I like Fedora, but they are all free, so I'd recommend giving a few of
them a try and see what you like.

> 4) Nvdia are still the Linux friendly graphics people, right?

No, actually Intel is providing the best support for open source right
now, odd as that might sound.  Of course, Intel graphics won't give you
the extreme performance that ATI or nVidia will (unless you are a hard
core gamer that probably doesn't matter to you though).

Jeff
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