Here is my decision:

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I've got a nice intel dual core @3.0 ghz running xp. I built it in January of 2007. So its about 1.5 years old. Its got 4 gigs of dd2 in it, but of course xp only lets me see(and use) 3 gigs. But my windows days are running to a close.

I'm starting a new job(finally) and will be able to afford a new machine. Last time I went about 75% all out: this time I am gonna refine and max it out in several ways.

I'm going to go with 2 or 3 solid state drives in a raid configuration. Optimized for speed not redundancy. Since my linux will sit happily on 8 gigs, I can get some SSDs pretty cheap. I wouldnt mind finding one of those old iRAM drives though. Or two. A regular drive will serve as backup just in case.

Latest and greatest nvidia cards, dual SLI. 8 gigs of ram.

Certainly dual CPU, probably from intel, no slower than 3.0 ghz, unless I can get quads at that speed. Liquid cooling. I'm hoping to find a liquid cooled PSU as well.

Sound isnt too critical to me, so I will go with onboard sound at 5.1 or 7.1 depending solely on what the mobo offers.

I'm hoping for a 10/100/1000 LAN on board, but I will add a card in to get it if i have to.

CD/DVD read/write; any white label brand will do.

64 bit Ubuntu will serve as operating system.

For peripherals I will get a 19x12 wacom tablet, a 25+ inch LCD or plasma monitor(I tried dual monitors; I just dont need that much screen real estate). I'll need a new keyboard, perhaps wacom has one that will pair with the tablet.

This will all be boxed in a case of my own manufacture. I am thinking 1 inch aluminum square tubing comprising the skeleton, and sheeted in with acrylic. Where ever possible, cabling will be routed through the tubing.

Sounds cool. Keep us posted on how it goes!

Why the huge wacom? are you into something graphic related?

A wacom is very nice, specially to avoid carpal tunnel. I had pains in the hand and all that because of using the mouse a lot, and after getting one tablet: Zero strains, zero pain =D

Now I have a second tablet just in case this one fails =P

Nope. I just like to doodle lots. My puck on my last wacom failed eventually. Its a 6x4, which is lots, but i figure what the hey, go big or go home. It was somewhat awkward to use given my desk space, so on the next one i will build a purposeful space for it to sit.

Do you use yours angled or flat on a desk?

Plus it would look funny as hell linked to one of those itx boxes.

the minis? Yeah, it'd look a little bit ridiculous, "just a little bit"

sorry, was is a puck?
(goes to google puck)
Oh, a mouse. Truth be told I almost never use mine, but I use the pen all the time, that's what saved my hand

I use it flat, right next to my keyboard, where the mouse was, and you?

Yes, the same, next to keyboard, but I am thinking about making an angled panel with a tiny lip to hold it. It will be more like an artist draws.

if you use it angled but your hand lays flat on the table (and not over the wacom), you'll end up twisting your wrist, which will defeat the whole purpose of using one (for ergonomics). Hope I explained myself.

You explained it well.

No, I would have the tablet sitting at say 20-30 degrees so that my free floating hand holds the stylus perpendicular to the tablet. If you imagine an artist sitting on a bench, holding a sketch pad. it would be like that. There would be minimal contact of the hand against the tablet.

Hope that makes sense.