I've been thinking a little more seriously about a server for my home to help with PC administration. I've played around with Linux and have gotten a basic file server up and running, but I'd really like some of the big toys that come with real servers. With five users and four PCs, it would be a whole lot easier to have everyone's desktop be the same across each PC, with files and settings centralized. I'm sure one of the distributions of Linux would do that, but I haven't played around enough to really find out how to make it work.

So perhaps Microsoft can help out.

I like the idea of a Windows-based server for my home. I really do. I guess I've used Microsoft products too much now and I've so lazy that I don't want to learn anything else. If MS Home Server does the job, I'm all for it.

But what I don't like is having to buy a complete system from Dell, Gateway, or others. I enjoy building my own systems and I have plenty of spare parts lying around that I'm sure would work just fine for a simple server. I think Microsoft is making a mistake in not providing a self-installation option.  

Then again, probably most geeks who know what to do with a server have already built one and are very happy with their favorite flavor of Linux. Can Microsoft convince average users that a central server is required in the home? Or is it the OEMs that wanted this product?