Re: Check out Newegg.com
Use an Abit motherboard, they are very reliable but cost more than the cheaper PCChips etc motherboards.
Avoid PC-Chips motherboards like the plague.
If Nividia, get a card made by the same motherboard maker, or else it might not work with the motherboard.
Utter, unmitigated crap.
USR Modems, of course. Also might be listed as 3Com modems. Unless you don't want a modem. Some motherboards have modems built in.
Modems is modems is old news. Ethernet -> DSL/Cable is The Way.
Realtek chipset network cards are the ones I use, reliable and not too expensive. Some motherboards have a LAN card built in.
I'm all about Intel network adapters; features and performance can't be beat.
AMD motherboards and chips are usually less expensive and faster than Intel ones.
Well, yes and no. The new P4 boards with 866 MHz FSB will happily shit all over any Athlon you can buy once equipped with a 3GHz CPU. Low end, price/performance is definitely tilted in AMD's favour, but you have to consider whether a chip with an operating temperature of ~60 degrees C is something you want.
Western Digital, Maxtor, Seagate are all good hard drives. I like Western Digital best of all because their Non-OEM drives have a 3 year warranty.
Maxtor? Are you NUTS? I've RMAed more of their shitty disks than all other manufacturers combined.
Mice and Keyboards, I usually buy generic unless I need special features. But IBM keyboards are the best, Keytronic are cheaper. Logitech Mice and Trackballs are the best.
Modern IBM keyboards are indistinguishable from any others. Microsoft make the best mice, especially for a lefty like me; Logitech's ergo mice are so damn ergo that I can't use them.
Get a DVD/CDR drive, I usually look for Sony, Panasonic, BTC, Mitsumi and a few other brand names. Creative is a good brand too but expensive.
Creative Labs CD drives are shit. I went through three of those crappy things in about 18 months. I've got a Freecom CDRW now.
Creative Labs Sound Blaster cards are the best audio cards.
HAHAHA! Riiiiiiiiiiight.
ATX cases, get one that has a good power supply. Usually the more expensive cases have the best power supplies. Read the specs and reviews on cases before you buy one.
Norm, I know you're trying to be helpful, but you're alternating between spewing crap and stating the obvious.