Multimedia Computer: Parts 3 & 4

This blog has been silent the last couple of weeks as my attention has been taken with other matters.  I've been taking care pre-enrollment and being kept busy in its wake at school.  I've been feeding my Redneck Math blog.  And I've been spending my Saturday and Sunday afternoons doing yard work.  That having been said, the multimedia computer has been progressing.

The first bit of progress is the choice and acquisition of memory.  I chose memory that would fit the motherboard.  Because of the design of the motherboard, I had a choice between DDR2 and DDR3.  I chose DDR3 simply because I hadn't tried it before.  In selecting this memory, I had to take its speed into account.  I also had a choice between getting 4GB and 8GB. In the old days, I would've thought that 8GB was the clear choice, I don't believe that a multimedia computer will require that much, so, because of price, I chose to go with 4GB.

I have also purchased and received a CPU.  It was the case again that, because of the design of the motherboard, I had a choice among several.  I chose the Intel Celeron.  Again price drove my choice.  This was the least expensive available.  One thing nice about this CPU is that it came with its own fan.  Buying cooling fans separately is boring. You have to match up the specs like with socket-type and fans, somehow, just aren't as sexy as chips.

Having made both of these choices because of cost, let me say one thing. There is a truth in the universe that you get what you pay for.  Sometimes, though, the extra cost is because of novelty.  This is to say you get to say that you were the first.  There can be value to that, but it is not the case in this instance.  I am doing this for two reasons:

1. It is a hobby.  It gives me something to do that I can write about and give guidance to those who know less than me.  There aren't many of those, but there are a few.
2. I want to have a multimedia computer for the Family Room.

Given those two reasons, spending money unnecessarily is no virtue.  I have to stretch my hobby money as far as I can. This is especially important as yard work begins.