Hi Carolyn,
I'll get right to the heart of the matter.
If you're looking for a new computer, I don't blame you for not getting the pre-loaded crap that you can get at retail stores. Although many people swear by mail-order computer and custom built systems from companies like Dell and Gateway, the prices they charge for some of the components they sell is abhorrent. However, I do recommend it for some people...especially beginners who could use the good support options.
Hopefully there's a nice shop in your area that you can get a system custom made. Problem with smaller shops is the reliability. Many aren't around the next year. If possible try and find a place recommended by as many people as possible and a place that's been in business for at least a few years.
Motherboard: AOpen and ASUS are ok. We work with them most often. However, there's many more that are reliable. Make sure you get one with an Intel 440BX chipset (needed for CPU's 350Mhz +). Never was a big fan of the Apollo or VIA chipsets (mainly used for AMD CPU based systems). Some M/B's have 3 ISA, 4 PCI, and 1 AGP slot. Others will be 2,5, & 1. Since you don't need a fancy system, I wouldn't worry about it. Try for at least 4 PCI slots though and the 1 AGP. For memory configuration, get a M/B with either 3 or 4 DIMM memory slots. Makes it easier to pop in extra RAM (always good) later on.
CPU: Go Intel. Although I dislike pushing certain manufacturers, and AMD does make good processors, the chipset market hasn't produced something stable and reliable enough (IMO). Celeron processors (300-466Mhz) are good for basic home family systems and even small business systems. For a power trading station though, go full Pentium II. The 350Mhz is the sweet spot as far as price is concerned, but the 450Mhz Pentium III's are cheaper than the 450 Pentium II's (explain that one to me). I wouldn't go for the 500Mhz just yet. Although there is a definite improvement, it's not worth the extra cost. I recommend the 450Mhz Pentium III.
RAM: 128Mb of PC100 compliant SDRAM. I have 256Mb in one of my systems, but unless you're working with graphics rendering or other extremely high-powered applications, 128Mb is good enough. 64Mb is my base for anyone's system. Besides, it's a piece of cake to add another 128Mb piece in 4-6 months.
CASE: Get a good stable case. Be careful with the power supply. We've had alot of difficulties recently with newer ATX power supplies. (ATX power supplies are used in newer PII systems) Make sure you get a good warranty when it comes to the power supply and if possible, pay an extra $30-50 for a good quality one.
Disk drives: 1.44 floppy goes without saying. Same goes with the CD-ROM. 40X is overkill. Besides, CD-ROM transfer speeds max out at 14X. A 32X Toshiba is what we like to use. CD-R's and CD-RW's are useful for some people, especially for backup purposes. You might not need to go that far though. A Zip drive is highly recommended though. Either the 100Mb or the newer 250Mb variety (internal is just fine). Excellent for large data files and everyday backup purposes. You might want to get a higher end tape backup drive for anything more intense though.
Hard-drive: Stick with IDE. Although SCSI drives are more reliable, faster and all around more powerful, you don't need the extra expense of going SCSI. Hard-drives are normally double the cost and you need to pick up a controller card. Besides, IDE hard drive technology has really improved the past couple of years. Go with a nice 10-12Gb. I like Quantum for IDE hard drives and Seagate/IBM for SCSI drives.
Video card: Tough call. I've played around with many, and could recommend a lot of different ones. Things get a little trickier of you go multi-monitor as well. Matrox cards are quite stable and well-recommended. Newer ATI cards are up there performance wise as well. Of all things, make sure you don't go too cheap with your video card.
Monitor: As I've said before, I like Viewsonic and Mitsubishi's. Go 19" if you can, with a dot pitch of no more than .26 (higher the number, the worse it gets).
Get a UPS! Could not stress that enough. A good Smart UPS from APC should be picked up by the vast majority of new system buyers. Another thing to consider is the power going into the system. Some people that live next to power generators or power stations often have funky voltage going into their home that can really screw with your system...especially today's new power supplies. (This one comes from experience...believe me). If you find you're having possible power problems, get the line checked out.
Other hardware issues: A nice little sound card is always a neat touch. Go Creative Labs. An AWE64 ISA is just fine. Make sure you have a nice stable modem as well. Although 3COM/USR has had problems recently, I still like them.
Software: Trading software isn't my specialty, but I'm sure there's plenty of people who could recommend something. Operating system however...go Windows NT 4.0 with Service pack 4. No question about it. Especially for the reliable involved. Although I recommend Windows 98 for a home system hands down, NT is my pick for a work/trading system.
The situation with your ISP would really worry me. I would definitely have a talk with someone over there to see if there's anything that could be done.
I think that about covers it for now. If you have any questions...feel free.
Take care,
Rich |
