I recently bought a Dell 2950 III w/32 GB memory, dual quad-core processors, and (2) 1 GB SAS drives for about $4k brand new from Dell. I am running the Datacenter edition of Windows Server 2008 x64, however, you could also run the free edition of Hyper-V. The box supports x64 clients, and is very fast and stable.

I would suggest the tower model as the fans in the rack model are very loud. I would also suggest the Dell remote management card for an additional $250. It allows you to do just about anything remotely, even loading a new host OS w/virtual ISOs.

-G

I'd have to agree with you as I took a similar route. However, YOU would probably succeed in most anything you do. Young people coming out of high school don't have the breadth of knowledge one receives with a degree; a good command of language helps you interact better with peers, managers and clients, for instance.

I own a successful business, but do not have a degree. Ironically, I look at an applicant's education, knowing that a degree will help ensure certain basic abilities (but no guarantees, of course). It also shows me they can finish what they start, which is always important. If an education is absent from their resume, I look at project experience and how well they articulated their role (with as few words as possible).

Different people have different things they look for in an applicant. I know someone that says he looks for applicants that have worked as a waiter or waitress at some point. He thinks they will be better at interacting with clients and others within the organization. Whether you agree with this or not, it is an interesting concept.