first build: help! advice needed! please!

[joskos]

I am looking at building a new pc my first attempt.

i want to use the computer for my educational use, like word typing, creating web pages, storing wedding pictures (really loads of them), want to store them on dvd, i lalso use programming languages like, visual basic, python etc to make programmes.

and after much trawling through the internet I have come up with the following spec:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ 3.0GHz
Gigabyte GA M59SLI-S4 AM2
320GB SERIAL ATA II HARD DRIVE
2GB RAM (1GBx2)
LiteOn DH-18A1P-18C 18X DVDRW
Microsoft Windows XP

Can you tell me if the above specification is any good?

Are the computers parts compatible with each other?

would you recommend going with the Athlon AM2 5600x 2 Dual Core CPU instead of the AMD AM2 6000 x 2 Dual Core CPU and save around $50 or so. what will the performance difference be?

what does the SLI stand for on the motherboard?

should i go for 500GB Hard disk?

i have not mentioned any graphics card. how many graphics card can it have?

Thanks
Chris

 

[ausch30]

SLI- Scalable Link Interface, A method of connecting two or more video cards and have them work together.

500gb is currently the best gb per $ ratio.

With a new build I would suggest Vista as everything will be moving that way and MS is planning on ending support of XP at the end of the year.

would you recommend going with the Athlon AM2 5600x 2 Dual Core CPU instead of the AMD AM2 6000 x 2 Dual Core CPU

Do you plan to overclock?

Are the computers parts compatible with each other?

Yes

i have not mentioned any graphics card. how many graphics card can it have?

2 but most would tell you just to get the best single card you can afford

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ 3.0GHz

I would get this instead cooler, faster, cheaper. Change the motherboard to something like this or this.