What do you want to do with it?
>>I don't have a "specific" purpose other than wanting to build my own machine. But at the same time I want it to be viable and be able to handle whatever I throw at it.

Plan to play 3d games?
>>Don't play a lot of games on my pc anymore since I got my xbox but I want it to be able to run graphics (video, movies, etc) seamlessly. I also do photography as a hobby so I'd like it to be able to handle scrolling through high mb pics seamlessly.

Plan to be storing lots of media (video, audio, etc.)?
>>Yes

How important is "size" to you (i.e. do you want a really compact system)?
>>Being compact is not a concern for me. I currently have a tower and that's fine.

How important is it that your system be low-noise?
>>Well, I don't want it to wake the neighbors but, as computers go, I'm not 'that' concerned with noise output.

How important is power efficiency (i.e. less power used = more eco friendly) to you?
>>Not important

What OS(s) do you plan to use? Just Windows, or Windows and Linux?
Linux, XP, and given the resource requirements of Vista I'd like it to be able to run Vista and then some (I'm sure I'll be running it eventually)

Do you plan to run a 64bit OS at any point?
>>Since I'm building it might as well go ahead and might it viable for 64bit.