Maximum PC

Whats with everyone braggin they built their computers? So what it's no difernt then buying food at a restaurant vs cooking yourself. Anybody with half a brain can look at the book and plug in the wires. The only thing you did do was save $50 on a professional build, you did not design or engineer anything.

Like any industry, latest and greatest is what we strive for.
We seek to establish ourselves as unique - pre-builts don't do that for us (aside from Apple) but the ultimate indicator is how much we spend...

That's why the mag is called "MaximumPC", not "Mediocre". This is the enthusiast/gaming culture; nothing is going to change it - it's the same in cars, etc.

An enthuasist who sits on his ass and stares at a screen while his face wrinkles and eyes weaken. Some kind of enthuasist. Computers are a distraction from life not a lifestyle.

That's a loaded question, as there's many answers (and your analogy sucks).

- Hand picked components (most OEMs require at least 1-2 sacrifices)
- Feeling of accomplishment
- Once you've built your first machine, it represents the next level of PC knowledge for you
- Hands on experience better equips you to help troubleshoot for others
- Money saved, no matter how small, is still money saved
- To test your knowledge and abilities (building a PC requires more than "half a brain" to "look at a book and plug in the wires")
- There's more pride to be had in something you've created to work as opposed to having someone else create for you

As usual, your attitude and threads leave much to be desired (you've suckered me into responding to this one). I feel very good when a member who has been asking for advice on components and trying to learn comes back and lets us know he/she was successful. It's especially more meaningful if it's their first build and they were nervous about it beforehand.

We're enthusiasts here - we like to build our own machines, create our own mix of components without sacrifice to a boutique's availability or selection. Whenever someone can share their experience (and the pitfalls they encountered along the way and how they overcame them) it benefits us all, from the noob to the veteran.

::steps off soapbox::

Like ANY hobby, moderation is the key. Anything in excess is harmful and distracting from life as a whole.

Computers are a hobby for some. For others, it's a busines tool, a research tool to educate oneself or cure diseases, an affordable and fun way of communicating with family/friends from a distance, sharing photos and home movies at the click of a button, etc. I could go on and on, but it's not the flaming reaction you're looking for, so I'll save us both the trouble.

Slinky, your history on this forum has been up and down. Find some consistency, and do so at a point where you are not inciting flames and/or put-downs on members, whether they be individually or as a whole.

Ban this shite. Lock this thread. Slinky is not one of the True Believers, but a blasphemer sent to distract us from the One True Way.

Buying OEM is fine if you like paying too much, underperforming, and need tech support. It is clear that Slinky has no clue what goes into or what come out of building your own computer.

Some would think the same of your hobbies, no doubt.

The question is - what/whom does it serve to ridicule someone based on their hobby? Why would someone make efforts to do it?

I agree with all rebuttles to slinky.

I'd like to add this ... this is an enthusiasts' forum .... if you dont want to hear about people building their own PC's and enjoying them (while bragging a little) then be my guest to gtfo of a forum you don't have to be a part of.

-Gweedo

Whats your deal, Slinky? One4yu2c is right, this is a forum of enthusiasts. If you cant find something better to do than to disparage us, it would be in your best interest to get off our backs or leave the forum for good.

One4yu:

I'll let you know when the components come and I start my first ever computer build.

And yes, I'm nervous as hell.

Awww dont insult him, hes just mad his emachine cant play backyard baseball at full detail anymore....

Aww, he's gonna be mad when he checks his AOL account and see's that you responded like that!

Nonsense - you'll do fine.

Agreed. And you can't ask for a better support group than the members on this forum.

I'm really looking forward to your very first post on your new computer

mirco atx OEM cases = power man

when you build a computer, you can choose the parts YOU want in your computer insead of parts a OEM says you want, and more offten than not these parts are going to be higher quality and preformince too, allways a plus


bla bla bla, the person who made this topic is an iddiot

I climb mountains for fun. I also build PCs.

Facile stereotypes are indicative of shallow thinking.

The best reason that Ive found for building your own is to have a machine made for games. Most PC manufacturers think that the only machines that can have "real" videocards are the $3-4k monsters use the newest and flashiest equipment for everything. Not everyone can or wants to buy one of these beasts just to play a few games on occasion. For the rest of us were on our own.

OMG111!!!111 Thanks for the intervention. I will change my ways at once and become a slave to what Dell has to offer me. If it wasn't for your wit I might have continued blindly on my road to self destruction.


hallelujah! I have been saved

Hehe... Little Billy

The point has nothing to do with dell or cheap parts. It about having a false pride in a system "you" built. Just admit it you looked at a catlogue and read the intstruction book then slapped a few parts together. End of story. You did nothing as to the design or engineering of the parts. Theirs another system out there configured just like yours by someone else who thinks what they snapped together is unique.