best boxen?

[Mike Reinehr]

On Tuesday 22 August 2006 01:45 pm, Net Llama! wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Aug 2006, Mike Reinehr wrote:
> > On Tuesday 22 August 2006 12:33 pm, Net Llama! wrote:
> >> HP makes very good quality workstations (anything in their xw product
> >> line).  I'd personally avoid Dell like the plague.
> >
> > 	I would second Net Llama & recommend HP over Dell.
> >
> > 	On the other hand, I haven't bought a name brand PC in at least 5
> > or 6 years. At first, I was having a local company build PC's to my
> > spec's but lately I've been buying from http://www.monarchcomputer.com
> > as they will build Linux PC's without the M$ tax (they also will build
> > M$ PC's). Their delivery is rather slow, but I've never had a problem
> > with any system from them, and that includes memory.
>
> jebus, monarch is still slow?  I got burnt badly by them about 2 years ago
> (8 weeks late on delivering hardware), plus lies, bait & switch scams and
> an assortment of other repulsive practices which convinced me never to buy
> from them again.

Yah, not only are they slow, but it usually takes at least two telephone calls 
to get my credit card accepted. I've placed orders with CDW, Newegg & Monarch 
within the same 24 hour period with my credit card accepted by everyone 
except Monarch. Then, when I call American Express they will say that the 
authorization was approved--go figure.

But, the good thing about Monarch, after all the order & delivery hassals, is 
that I can buy a Linux PC without the M$ tax that works out of the box, with 
no memory or hardware/driver problems. They have begun to support Ubuntu, so 
lately I order them with Ubuntu installed, then back that up & install 
standard Debian Etch after noting which drivers to use.

cmr
-- 
Debian 'Sarge': Registered Linux User #241964

"More laws, less justice." -- Marcus Tullius Ciceroca, 42 BC