After 17 years of making music on Apple-brand computers, I'm finally fed up with the state of affairs in the Mac and Windows worlds and want to migrate to Linux. Unless there is some major issue with it, I think I'd like to use the Debian distribution, particularly since the DeMuDi developments are on the horizon. Even though I've got a number of old computers taking up space, I figure I might as well start with a clean slate. So I'm asking what kind of hardware would be best for a respectable Linux music setup? Is the Hammermill audio card the best option? Do I need a separate MIDI card or can I run everything through some USB interface(s)? From the limited amount I've read, it seems as if the motherboard should be Intel-based, rather than AMD. I don't care about video. I'm only concerned with maximizing audio processing power. I'd like to piece together a system (not including monitor) for less than $1000 (USD). I can get and assemble any set of pieces, no problem. I just want to get pieces that can work together harmoniously. This will be a dedicated Linux machine--no more dual-boot crap for me! Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks! Scott