I have a homework assignment to "purchase" a computer for a specific type of user for a budget of $1,100.

I have to explain what my user needs, and find a computer and related software for my user, within the budget.

Partly because the professor bores me to tears, and partly because I'd like to learn, I've decided to build a computer from scratch for my project.

Only problem: I <strong> think </strong> i know what's inside the tower, but I'm not positive, and of course its imperetive that I get an awesome mark.

So- what hardware will i need to buy for my computer, what compatibility issues should I know about, and what should I be asking that I'm not?

This website will give you the basic's.

http://www.mysuperpc.com/

SRX660

Post the problem(eg who is the user) i can do that stuff in my sleep, spent a year of high scholl computing doing it because i had the course done for the year inside a month or something like that, so all i did was put together systems for different types of user.

Ill point you in the right direction and when you get it finished i can check it over for you before you hand it in if you want.

Best way to do it is for you to read a bit then ask questions on here on things you are unsure of or things that might have been changed.

This post has been edited by warriorscot: Dec 15 2005, 07:23 PM

thanks. I think the user is going to be a regular home user- maybe my baby-boomer parents. But I'm going to throw in a Linux OS for security and just to be annoying. I'll be back when I've done the initial research- thanks for pointing me to that site.

I wouldnt go linux i would mark you off for that (i always got it marked down) its ok for computer literate but a "baby-boomer" with only a basic and functional knowledge can find it difficult and the software most home users want to use is difficult to install and use on linux if its possible. You rock the boat on your PC but when you put together ones for others you keep it simple, if someone knows what linux is and has the inclination to use it they can install it themselves, perhaps put an extra bit on the report saying you would format the drive into 3 partitions one for windows one for another OS of users choice then one for data.

What you want to do is include windows, but with an appropriate security software package, so NOD32 or kapersky with somehting like zomealarm and adaware etc. for the system to keep it secure.

drat. I was figuring that open office and the mozilla suite would pretty much cover anything a home user needs. But if they wanted to update things I guess it could get finicky.

Never heard of either Nod or kaspersky. Kaspersky offers bundles which include "anti-hacker". How realistic is this need?