Eh, 9 volt line into a 6 volt input? All wires from the power supply are attached to a connector that can only be plugged in one way, so it's physically impossible to destroy your system by hooking up the power supply incorrectly. It was more a concern back in AT form factor days, when the two connectors could be reversed and cause damage to the system, but today, it's not an issue.
For people who are still uneasy about assembling a computer themselves, a local computer store would most likely put it together for a small fee. Most reputable companies offer a warranty on products themselves, in addition to the manufacturer's warranty that comes with retail and some OEM products. Buying brand name usually turns out to be needlessly expensive, and a much more capable system can be built by purchasing seperate components.
Anyway, Athlons are pretty cheap now, so I'd suggest looking into purchasing one with a cheap video card. A new generation of cards is right on the horizon, so I wouldn't suggest spending too much money on anything available today. Additionally, a large hard drive, Soundblaster Live! of some sort with a good audio setup (Klipsch Promedias are recognized as some of the best speakers available), and a large monitor would be recommended. <a href=
http://www.pricewatch.com) target=_blank>Pricewatch</a> is an excellent place to compare prices and purchase products.
If you decide to go with Intel over AMD, stay away from PIII systems that use RDRAM. 128 MB of that stuff would eat up a good portion of that $1500 itself.
[This message has been edited by Argath (edited May 01, 2000).]