Honestly, that attitude can kick rocks. I have gear dating back to 486DX on my wall and just like I wouldn't pay $385 for a $150 dollar new board 6 years ago I won't spend the 300-600 that my Voodoo 5 5500 AGP goes for today in the box. If you want to pay a grand to have a box that'll just "install Windows 7 without lifting a finger" be my guest as I never said otherwise. Obviously that ridiculous ship has been sailing for 7 pages now. On the flip side even as a retro collector I'll never pay over double for a part when it was new. At least the people that want to spend new money on new parts has a purpose, enjoyment, and not simply wanting to spite an operating system for whatever reason. It's no different than boomers dropping 80 grand on a C8 and doing less than the speed limit in the left lane to me. This scenario on the other hand is quite worse than that, even with as annoying the 50mph C8 in the left lane is. I'd say going as far as ironic with belittling a known retro hardware collector on this forum about price for purpose, but there are stipulations. And no, Windows 10 doesn't spin straw into gold, it's called moving on with the times keeping ridiculous paranoia in check. Some of us like utilizing features EOL operating systems don't support.
If that wasn't clear enough, if you want to drop more than new hardware money to fit your bill be my guest, it doesn't make it any less stupid.
You want to yammer on about Windows 10 and your problems with it then want to contradict yourself by saying you'd look for retro parts on the darknet?

Oh brother. If you don't need help then why continue here? We've answered the questions enough times to derail this topic 3-4 times. Hell, I even told you a way of still browsing with XP more times than I can honestly remember yet here we are. Move along, I'm done with this thread.
My opinion differs slightly. The current and ever increasing infestation of forums by debate addicts (desperate to relive their glory days on the High School Debate Team) "kicks rocks". As does the marked overabundance of argumentarians (The Argument Culture ISBN#978-0345407511), contrarians, Win 10 fanboys, expat ubertrolls from CraigsList... and the ever amusing control freaks that firmly believe their permission is required, and their rubber stamp of approval necessary, before any posted question is answered.
The point you choose to ignore is that just as gamers are willing to pay whatever for their latest 'biggest&bestest' rig, I am willing to pay whatever for a custom build that satisfies my whims.
"At least the people that want to spend new money on new parts has a purpose, enjoyment, and not simply wanting to spite an operating system for whatever reason." I have a "purpose". A slow and painless transition to MX Linux, using Win 7 as a waystation and rest stop. As for "enjoyment", I will not enjoy Win 7, but I will detest it a whole lot less that Win 10, and that is close enough. Well golly gee, you think by rejecting Win 10 I will spite it? Will it cry technotears? Will Lil Billy Gates be sooooo sad? Will the staff at M$ have to go to 'trauma therapy'? I had no idea I was so important, and that my hatred of Win 10, and refusal to use it crushed the spirits of so many. I think this is one of your fantasies I would like to buy into. Sign me up!
Yes, this "ridiculous ship has been sailing for 7 pages now" which is testament to the obdurate and pernicious nature of those that not only refuse to answer a simple question posted (instead answering every queation that was never asked), or turn every post into an opportunity for a debate, then upon making zero headway towards their goal, turn around and whine the OP is obstinate for not doing what they demand. This post was never about doing what others demand, converting to a crapo OS like Win 10, or applying for permission or approval to proceed with a legacy build, and I suspect this will be heartbreaking to hear, but...this post was never about you, your lil hopes and dreams, how much money you would spend on whatever, how much you love Win 10, how much you disapprove of legacy builds, nor anything like that.
You like "moving on with the times", and "utilizing features EOL operating systems don't support"? Explain to me again how my hatred of Win 10, refusal to use it, and choosing to go with Win 7, in any way prevents you and the herd from doing this? You and anyone else are quite welcome to embrace
everything that comes with Win 10! I could not possibly care less. I'm not the one desperately trying to obstruct you from using or choosing that crappy OS. Nor will you find me scanning for posts of Win 10 users seeking help, and proselytizing for a return to Win 7, denigrating Win 10, or trying to derail their post. I don't answer such posts because I have nothing positive to say, and not inclined to help someone (nor pretend to help them) use such a gawd-awful M$ rendition....and that is the telling difference between me and you. When I answer a post, I
actually try to
actually answer the
actual question that was
actually asked. My answer is aimed at helping the poster do what he wants to do, instead of trying to manipulate or browbeat him into doing what I want him to do. I also don't provide crappy non-answers for apparently no other reason than to jack-up my post count. As for "yammer on about Windows 10", that is exactly your speed, but nice try at accusing the opponent of what your side has been doing since the very beginning of this post. There is nothing contradictory about me using TAILS or Kodachi to shop the Darknet. As for "help" we obviously have two divergent definitions. You define "help" as 'helping' someone do what you want them to. I define "help" as someone helping me do what I want to do. Polar opposites. The only "help" I need or want or value is the sort that conforms to my definition. "
We've answered the questions enough times", yeah right! Again two different definitions of 'answer'. Your definition is that
any reply to a question is a valid answer, whether it is or not. My definition is that any answer to any question that does not actually answer the actual question is a a non-answer, otherwise defined as a 'reply'....usually intended to not answer the question as far as possible.
"I'm done with this thread"...if only timewasters were that easy to be rid of!