Hello old friends (and greetings to new). I hope this finds everyone well?
It's been ages since I stopped by, but it's good to see so many of the old familiar faces are still here!

It's been 4 yrs since some very kind souls here walked me through a build around my existing mobo (upgraded everything else). Mobo (Chaintech 7NIF2) is going on 7 yrs old give or take, not sure how much life is left in it.

I think it's time to start planning for a new machine.
I really wish I could do my own build again, this one has been the best by far, but I'm so busy taking care of an ill and aging parent that spare time really isn't there.

So (*gulp*) I'm looking at retail. And dragging my feet. Not slamming them, it's just that I like to know if a repair or upgrade is necessary, I can do it myself, won't have to ship it off or take it in. Being at the mercy of a manufacturer whose parts are proprietary is not a position I'm comfortable with. I have zero experience with retail desktops as the only retail machine I've owned is my Gateway notebook. All my desktops have been custom build machines.


So here are my questions:
1) Are there any brands out there that do not have proprietary parts so that the user can do hardware upgrades of their choosing? (I know it would void a warranty but I'm thinking of when warranty runs out.)
2) If so, of those brands, which do you like or recommend?
3) Oh, and someone told me newegg (or maybe tigerdirect) has a 'you buy it we build it for you' deal, but I've not found it yet. Anyone have info/experience with that scenario?
4) I was considering a Mac, but was told Office (which I use) is a pain on a Mac?

I'm open to any and all input!
TIA,

Kat
_____________
XP Pro SP2
AMD Athlon XP 2500+
1.84 GHz, 1 G RAM
Chaintech 7NIF2 Mainboard/ nVidia-nForce
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG 09/05/2003
ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON 7500 Video Card
Voyetra Turtle Beach Santa Cruz Sound Card