[Professor S]

Originally Posted by TheSlyMoogle

Well that's not really true, you learn quite a bit about them while building them.

Yes it's really easy, but at the same time think of all the stuff you do before you build one:

match parts together

This I can do easily, and in fact when I researched my PC I compared it to a self-build with parts I chose on new egg. Also, I tend to upgrade my own machines (GPU, PSU, RAM), which is why my old one lasted as long as it did.

You learn about your specific rig and what to fix if something goes wrong, and since you put it together once you know how to replace anything in it.

This I can do to a point, mainly if the issue is with the GPU, RAM or PSU.

You usually learn about fun little errors that can happen to your computer after the initial building.

Now we're starting to come off the rails... this does not compute with my definition of fun. To me, this is an economic equation.

You learn how to format hard drives and what that all means, change settings in BIOS etc.
Learn how to install an operating system if you've never done that before and a lot of people haven't

Right here is where I check out. Once the BIOS, setting, etc. all get involved my face turns bright red and I go into a blind beserker rage. When I come to, the house is destroyed and there is a slaughtered goat with teeth marks in my living room.

Learn how to install hardware drivers and all that fun stuff (Well windows 7 takes care of most of that these days.)

This I've handled in the past as well.

It really is quite the learning experience if you've never done these type of things yourself. I can also see where it would be overwhelming, and it is time consuming. Around an hour to put the PC together and then anywhere from 3-6 hours getting it setup after that, depending on if anything went wrong during the setup.)

Time is really the issue. It all comes down to how much time will it take, and how much money will I save by doing it myself. I fully expect to lose an entire day to putting a PC together myself, especially if I've never done it before. It only costs me $100 to pay someone else to put it together for me, and I pay myself WAY more than $100 a day. (That translates to $26,000 a year for a 5 day work week.)

When I compare that to my salary, and the value I place on my "free" time, I've losing well over $100 in opportunity cost if I do it myself.

This, my friends, is the basis of our economy and wealth creation.

For more on opportunity cost: