> Mobo has built in SIS NIC, USB, PS/2, sound, etc.
>
> so: case, old basic VGA card were free for me (servers need
> no video, in a proper world).
> Mobo w/ 900MHz AMD $80
> Quality RAM        $90
> Antec PowerSup:    $70
> BIG disk           $90
> extra fans         $20
>                  ------
>                   $350

thinking that way - you should say support for other platforms that
PeeCees are waste of time. fortunately it's not.

but buying 900Mhz machine for routing is a waste. even if it costs a
little (350$ isn't a little - depends on country where you leave).

there are enough people (mostly windows users but not only) saying "why
think, better buy new computer as it's cheap".
it's definitely the wrong way. Yes - time is money, but unused organs
stops working, including brain.

There are tons of almost free (or free) hardware in 386/486 class, enough
for routers, X-terminals (PCI ones, lots of nices GFX cards are almost
free too) etc.

Spending a little time to prepare such thing is worth of it, especially
that you can then copy your cut-down NetBSD installation to another, share
it with friends etc.

i'm still using my pentium-133 as my machine for everything. Just because
it has well tested hardware, works stable and won't set in fire in case of
cooler failure.

I can send cut-down router installation (1.5.2) or X terminal set (1.3.3)
if you like