[Cialug] Buying a new PC

[jason at benalto.com]

> 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.)
>

The online course system does require Windows. She investigated this - she
was going to do an online course this semester but they didn't support
OSX.


>> 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.
>

Haha, that's what I heard about Vista, and that's what I'm doing.

>>  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...

Oh, okay. One thing I read is that 32 bit Windows doesn't recognize more
than 4 gigs of RAM but 64 bit does. Also, you see those motherboards and
they say 'up to 8 gigs of 64 bit memory/4 gigs of 32 bit" and I thought
the RAM was bit-specific. But I was mistaken, as I often am.
This sounds like it's a-okay to get the 64 bit processor. That's a huge
relief, thanks!

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

I actually have never tried Fedora...I'll give it a shot, certainly.

>> 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).

Oh, that is neat and interesting. I'll keep that in mind. My Windows
partition will be where most of my games are, but I admit I like TuxRacer
and GLTron....

-Jason