PC-clone hardware

[Bill Hogan bhogan@bedlam.rahul.net]

"BM" == Borja Marcos <borjam@we.lc.ehu.es> writes:

  >> 
  >> In "What We Use - Last Updated 1-Aug-95", it says:
  >> > Until recently we've used the AMI Enterprise IV:
  >> 
  >> What have you been using recently?
  >> 
  >> I'm thinking of getting a 486DX2-66, with 256K cache, but
  >> I haven't been able to find any AMI motherboards around here yet.
  >> 
  >> One store I visited told me "the brand of motherboard is usually
  >> stated as the brand of CPU on it", which doesn't jive with 
  >> the above document since it lists an SiS chipset on the AMI board.
  >> 
  >> What's more important to look for, the motherboard or cpu manufacturer?
  >> 
  >> Intel and AMD seem to be popular in the local stores here,
  >> which of those two would people recommend?
  >> 
  >> The variety in PC hardware scares me - sorry if these are basic questions.
  >> 

  BM> I think the CPU manufacturer is not important. As far as I know
  BM> they are compatible. The problem arises, however, with the chipset.
  BM> For example, I wouldn't recommend ALI chipsets. I have had real
  BM> problems with this chipset. I think the OPTI chipset is a good one.
  BM> Anyway, there are more important factors such as manufacturing
  BM> quality. I have found that most of the motherboards currently sold
  BM> are a piece of junk valid only for running MSDOS and Windows,
  BM> incapable of running for a period of time without a reboot.

  BM> The only answer is to test the motherboard you are going to use.
  BM> Another problem is that most dealers change regularly their motherboards.


  BM> Borja.
  >> 

   I agree with this.

   Also, on the theory that if a PC supports Linux it is a reasonably
good bet it will support plan9, I might suggest lurking in places like
comp.os.linux.hardware? (I can think of a couple of PC vendors who
sell what they claim to be Linux compatible systems but I have never
used one so I can't recommend any.)

   Bill