Need ideas for my first build....blank canvas

[psubold]

Right now, all I have is a macbook pro. This is my first build. I'm looking to get a desktop to have as a dedicated work station in my home office. I'd like the desktop to last for 5 years or so. I don't plan to do any gaming on the computer. The main purposes beyond web browing/entertainment/basic computing will be:

-photography
-web design/graphic design
-learning/expanding my ability to program
-some smaller scale video editing

I don't have any parts to contribute, so this is from scratch. I'd like to spend less than $700. It's in my nature to go overboard on stuff, so I'm hoping you guys will temper me. However, I don't want to be cheap about this and then be limited 2-3 years from now by my computer.

Additionally, I was thinking of using Ubuntu for experimentation purposes and to save on the OS cost, any thoughts? Will I be missing out or regretting it? I just don't have any experience with it, so I'm looking for your input.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[pcunite]

Look at Puget Systems for ideas. They show the specs they use.

 

[DaveSimmons]

> Will I be missing out or regretting it? I just don't have any experience with it, so I'm looking for your input.

The commercial versions of Mac and Windows web, photo, editing software are probably going to be more polished than freeware linux apps. What do you use for this now? You might post in the 'nix forum to see what the free alternatives are:
http://forums.anandtech.com/forumdisplay.php?f=46

> -learning/expanding my ability to program

What kind of programming? For OS X and iPhone/iPad you want a Mac, for .NET, xbox, Windows Phone you want Windows, for Android any OS should work.

 

[wuliheron]

Do you have anything to start with? Monitor, keyboard, anything? Your budget is on the low side and every little bit could help.

In general I'd say an AM3+ mobo with an overclocked phenom II 955 or hex core is your best bet. The cpu can be upgraded later with a bulldozer 8 core chip to significantly extend the life of the system and provide just the kind of extreme multicore processing that will help most with photography, video editing, and some types of programming. For a video card either a gtx 460 1gb or at least a radeon 5830 just to have the 256 bit bus, again, to help speed things us a bit in your work. And 8gb of ddr 3 ram.

 

[Venom20]

And 8gb of ddr 3 ram.

8gigs sounds like a bit much, unless you can take advantage of a super sale, I don't see why he'd need more than 4 on a linux box. But I do agree with the processor and video card selections.

There are many freeware programs out there that are excellent for linux that you can edit or code with. We could all make suggestions, but we'd need to know what you are doing specifically. Also as mentioned, that thread is better posed in the linux forums

 

[mfenn]

Do you have anything to start with? Monitor, keyboard, anything? Your budget is on the low side and every little bit could help.

I agree, $700 is stretching it a bit if you don't have anything. You're looking at $225 just for a monitor/mouse/keyboard.

That being said, let's see what I can do:

i5 2400 + Intel H67 mobo $275 - Intel NIC and graphics work well under Linux
DDR3 1333 8GB $70
Samsung F3 1TB $65
Samsung DVD Burner $20
Seasonic 350W $42
Antec Three Hundred $45 AR
ASUS VH242H $160 AR
Total: $687 AR

You will go over a bit after you grab a mouse and keyboard (try some out in person), but that rig is very capable IMHO.