Computer build off discussions

[alexander]

You can discuss the build off in here, i'll try my best to manage this, but i am very short on time, this week anyways...

[Tormod]

Okay, are we supposed to actually *build* a sub-$1000 computer, or just find the parts for it?

[Killean]

Alex, can we "buy" parts from eBay for these comps, or must we only buy from valid computer part distributors?

[rockytriton]

Is the price of the OS included in the $1k? Since you say it should work as a gaming workstation, I wouldn't want to use linux.

[alexander]

Hey, we got some questions i can perhaps answer :(

Okay, are we supposed to actually *build* a sub-$1000 computer, or just find the parts for it?

either one, you can build one if you want to, but i think that you'd be better off finding all the parts :(

again no assembly time, nothing, they have to fit together though, so say you have a scusi drive and no controller or a scusi to ide converter, that's just not going to work when you put the two together, so it needs to be somewhat realistic.

Alex, can we "buy" parts from eBay for these comps, or must we only buy from valid computer part distributors?

this is a very interesting question, ok, lets try this, you can buy parts from retailers (i have no idea how valid they should be though), basically anything from pricewatch goes, maybe buy it now prices on ebay? does that sound fair?

Is the price of the OS included in the $1k? Since you say it should work as a gaming workstation, I wouldn't want to use linux.

well first of all i said that its supposed to be more of a performance box then a gaming one, although it should be able to game decently, but i think you should only specify the platform if you want to, or say you are building a system that works on super odd hardware and some random non x86 platform, and dont worry about getting the software part of it all (maybe explain in some cases, but mostly dont worry), so the price of the OS is NOT included in $1000 (it'll be more fun this way)(maybe when we do a 1500 euro buildoff :eek: (oh yes there are more fun and exciting plans in the future; buildoffs, quizes, take a stand and defend it OS discussions, well, dont want to give it all away... yet ...))

[C1ay]

well first of all i said that its supposed to be more of a performance box then a gaming one

So something like a 2 way UP2000 mobo with 2 Alpha 21264 procs in a beowulf configuration would be preferred? Would it be fair to cluster a dozen or so of these with a Myrinet or InfiniBand high speed interconnects? :hihi:

[alexander]

you need to spec out the infiniband then, remember, you need everything to make it work, wires, switches and all... but dont forget it needs decent graphics and should be able to do decent gaming :hihi:

[alexander]

There has almost not been any activity with the competition, and it is perhaps because people really want a prize, so I've talked to Tormod, and he suggested that the prize for winning this competition will be a free Platinum subscription sponsor plan thingy:

 

Platinum Sponsor

2 Years at a 25% discount. Includes more gallery space for your pictures, 50 MB scienceforums.com e-mail account, more posting privileges, invisibility, and access to The Club. Also includes a free puzzle and ad free surfing at our forums.

[Buffy]

... so the price of the OS is NOT included in $1000

Good! Building a windows box would be a $250 penalty right there! But alexander doesn't want us doing that anyway!

There has almost not been any activity with the competition, and it is perhaps because people really want a prize...

I'd love to join in and if I had to build a box right now, I would, but I just don't have the time! Honest tho, the guys at Fry's Electronics love me... "What's that cute chick doing in the motherboard section?"

 

Cheers,

Buffy

[pgrmdave]

Do we need peripherials, like monitor, speakers, mouse, keyboard, and stuff like that?

[alexander]

Do we need peripherials, like monitor, speakers, mouse, keyboard, and stuff like that?

aah, good question, no, you dont need peripherals, just the system, tower, cpu, whatever you want to call it :hihi:

Building a windows box would be a $250 penalty right there!

as i said, i'll make it simple, wait until a 1500 euro build off, you'll want to first find the exchange rates if you want to use dollars, and you'd have to specify and pay for the OS.

I'd love to join in and if I had to build a box right now, I would, but I just don't have the time! Honest tho, the guys at Fry's Electronics love me... "What's that cute chick doing in the motherboard section?"

aah, wait till some systems go up, then you could consider since the links are up there already :xx: less research, easier to build a box.

Fry's Electronics? mmm, mobo french fries, what kind of sauce do they serve it with? :D

Hey I dont ever recall seing your picture, hey, i got an idea for a title if you win this, how does "The Hot CS Chick" sound? I can see it now..........

[Buffy]

Oh my, I guess mine is going to be at a disadvantage though because of all the extra heat sinks and fans its going to need then, huh? :hihi:

 

Cheers,

Buffy

[alexander]

lol, thats a good one as usual Buffy :hihi:

[Buffy]

Well if the measurement were similar to the TPS benchmark* and the goal was the lowest cost per Ghz, I'd go ahead and just submit a paper tape and a pencil (aka a Turing Machine)...

 

Cheers,

Buffy

 

* For those of you who aren't familiar with it: its a database performance benchmark whose bottom line is $/transaction/second

[alexander]

yeah well, you could get away with it, the problem is its not a $/mhz thing, you need to spend the budget, just not to go over the amount, I am aware that you can build a system for $300, but the goal is a best close to $1000 machine... so i dont think that you'd win, but hey its already thinking outside the box for you, well you could win, if noone else posted, you would, but if one person posts a system, you are one try down from winning :hihi:

[C1ay]

I am aware that you can build a system for $300, but the goal is a best close to $1000 machine...

At the moment I'm having a hard time finding processors for that price. Maybe I should try to use something besides Alpha 21264's. Maybe someone has Merced's on clearance :hihi:

[alexander]

aah, so I'm not all alone in this and other people would join :hihi:

would you like me to be the first person to post a system? You see, i want it to be a sort of surprize, holy moly, i could build that, that would be such an awesome thing to do, type a deal, so i was saving it for last, and then include it in comparisons (i'm still not claiming the prize, i am the initiator, and this was supposed to be a for fun type a thing...)

 

P.S. i just sent you a PM for a possible news article...