Re: Opinons?

Joe Pluta wrote:
> Dual 3.0GHz Xeon (800MHz, 2MB L2), 2GB PC2-3200 ECC DDR2 RAM, RAID-5
> with 5 36GB 15K Ultra320 SCSI drive (effective space 146GB), 1GB
> Ethernet, 48X CD-ROM. No monitor, no OS. (Includes a floppy drive for
> nostalgia.)

Get a DVD, not CD.

> Now, it seems to me that two processors is better than one, and that two
> 3.2GHz processors is certainly better than one 3.6GHz processor.  But
> how much?  This machine is going to be a development box, but I'm going
> to use it as a Windows server, a WebSphere server, a Domino server, you
> name it.  It will run Windows 2003, but I might even get one of those
> "run Linux in a Window" packages.

Keep in mind that sometimes server boxes are deliberately designed to
NOT work well as desktop systems ... so they don't have a lot of video
capability, no AGP slot, no sound, etc.  Also, the tend NOT to be very
quiet.  The Dell PE 600SC I use to run most of midrange.com sounds like
a jet engine.  It's intended to live in a computer room ... not an office.

> Given that, I'm leaning towards twin 3.2GHz processors and the five
> drives for $3500.  How much bang for the buck is an extra .2 GHz worth?

There was a time when I would have given my left kidney for 200mhz. :)

Ah, progress.

david