Originally posted by: theblackbox
some of you people make it sound like it is actually difficult or some sort of accomplishment to build a computer. wow...you can buy parts and put them together, and plug them in...amazing... i used to think that building computers was a skill, but honestly, anyone can do it.
comparing it to building cars?....hmmm, thats kind of ridiculous.
if you look at building an engine, transmission, suspension, electric system, etc...there is much more detail and less room for error.
but hey, some of you people can do anything, right, it's the internet... if you can type it, you can do it, at least as long as you remain anonymous.
i just think some people like to get a computer and not put any time (labour) into it. Personally, i'd rather build one then buy one, but to each their own.
You know, people who rebuild cars can say the exact same thing. One thing that has "kept me" in the ignorant world is by having ignorant family members. I hear them say "how do you know which goes where or what processor to use etc..." And I think, hum if I knew as much as my sister and had no clue about intel's processor architecture, compatibility schemes with certian processors, voltage requirements, chipset factors like speeds, efficiency, driver compatibility with that chipset, motherboard manufacturer, chip manufacture/date first released, what capabilities this processor has compared to other processor, history of the fabrication of the processor, micro process etc..
Then I can see why she has no idea what processor etc.. belongs in what type of board with pin out etc... I think most of the higher up people on the anandtech forums have no idea how much they truely know until they think about everything they know about a very specific item like processors. I mean some people don't even know what a processor is and yet some of us can tell us exactally what sized "plate" (I totally forgot the name of it) the intel pentium III katmai core was stamped on.
Yes I guess you can say most people could build a machine if they didn't take the needed procautions like grounding your self from static, making sure that the AGP Video card, PCI card etc... are properly fastened, the processor is perfectly seated and HSF is too,making sure the motherboard isn't going to short out on the case because of mounting scheme, the correct electrical wires used to power on the system are in the right pins (PSU and case), parallel cables are hooked up correctly and NOT backwards, the FDD power cable is not off one pin all while having to make sure that the system boots up properly.
So it's a factor of:
1. General knowledge of each computer component, fabrication process, history of the part, compatibility issues with the part, release of the part, conflict issues with other parts
2. Making sure that all the parts assembled are properly fastened, correct sockets, properly mounted, electrically compatible, wont electricute you!
3. Software issues with particular parts, supported operating systems etc...
I mean in september I knew a bit about cars but not enough to be able to ACTUALLY work on a car and now look at me, 3 months later and I'm re-attaching brake calipers to a car, resurfacing a rotor and I have to do everything in the reverse order when I'm done resurfacing the rotor AND making sure everything is good. Now that I'm seriously working with the car, I realize that cars aren't as complicated as people think. Everything is relative you know, if you know nothing about anything it's very complex like "rocket science" but when you get a full understanding of something it's not so difficult....