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From: iverson@xstor.UUCP (Tim Iverson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Help on build your own 386 machine
Keywords: 386, build your own, mail order
Message-ID: <216@xstor.UUCP>
Date: 10 Dec 90 22:39:34 GMT
References: <1990Dec6.211935.8103@cbnewsh.att.com> <1990Dec7.042458.7275@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu>
Reply-To: iverson@xstor.UUCP (Tim Iverson)
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
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Organization: Storage Dimensions, Inc.
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In article <1990Dec7.042458.7275@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu> smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) writes:
>ravi (skumar@hocus.att.com) writes:
>
>>I am trying to build a 386 IBM compatible machine and I would
>>like hear experiences and things to avoid from people who have
>>done so. [...]
>
>Is there any reason that you don't want to buy a complete
>system from a mail order company?  You can't really save
>much money by building one yourself,

Actuall, it's possible to save quite a bit of money - in March I put
together a 25Mhz, 4MB, color SVGA/multisync, DOS/Unix system for $1600.  If
you count the $ I got for selling off the old 286, it comes to $1000.
[BTW, this is a high-quality clone, not some cheap AMI/C&T knockoff. :-]

Of course, I have alot of friends in the industry, so most of the parts
were obtained by trading favors, but it's a true roll-your-own 386 clone.

>and the risks and
>hassle involved might easily outweigh the benefits.

Actually, if you know what you're doing, there are fewer risks doing it
yourself than there are buying a complete product.  Most vendor's salesnoids
don't seem to know or understand anything about compatibility - I've heard
lots of sales stories that run kinda like this:

customer:	Will X work with Y in my system?,
salesjerk: 	I don't know - I'll check with the engineer.
salesjerk puts customer on hold and twiddle thumbs for 10 seconds
salesjerk:	Yes.  We tested it and it works fine.

You can protect yourself from these sales-animals by apropriate application
of $$; i.e. buy from a large reputable firm that doesn't seem to be in a
price war.  Price and quality are kinda like speed and memory in program:
you've got to spend one to get the other.

> [... lotsa reasons not to build your own if you don't know how ...]
>Anyway, I'm not saying that you *shouldn't* build your own
>386; but you *should* weigh the options heavily before deciding
>to do so.

I agree with you wholeheartedly on this matter.  If you don't know *exactly*
what you want down to the positioning of the screw holes on the motherboard,
then you don't know enough to build a clone you'll be happy with.

>S. "Stevie" Smith <smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu>

- Tim Iverson
  uunet!xstor!iverson