MiniITX as workstations ?

I like small efficient rigs but i feel with the RAM/HDD needs for workstations, one would be fine compromising to say mATX form factor..ITX could be pushing it hehe

Might be worth considering a barebone system like the Zotac Z Box. All you'll need is Windows, ram and a hdd (can be gotten cheaply) and you're away. Small form factor is perfect.

Actually, with 4Gb of RAM, I will be able to run Windows 7 efficiently.

My question is more about the longevity of an ITX computer. I never used it and I was wondering if it could be used for a 5 year period without breaking down or having any hardware major defect.

it should be fine for basic office work to use a nettop.

a basic office PC might be a little less expensive. a decent office PC can be built for $250-ish from parts with an Athlon II X2, 2 GB of Ram, a low-end motherboard, a minimal HDD, and use the onboard graphics. Its good for word processing, web use, flash games, and so on.

that would not include a monitor.

Thanks for your reactions guys, I will think about it a little more, but I think I'll make a small order to try 'em on for a few months.