If you are a beginner at computers, begin at your local small computer store. For the purposes of buying parts you are much better off dealing with a small store than a large chain or electronic warehouse, provided you get a good feeling about the place when you walk in of course.

Small stores are used to dealing with computers in terms of individual components, so they are better equipped to help you out. Tell them you are planning to build your own PC. They will be able to make sure that the parts you get are compatible, at least. You will have an idea of what you want the computer to do once it's built, so go with that. Once you have all the parts on the list, it's time to start building your computer.

Now, if it seems we've already skipped too many steps for you, I suggest you have a peek at the PCSTATS ShoppingList - this is a list of gear the staff here draw up each month for a few different price ranges. The ShoppingList consists of computer components we'd actually buy ourselves, and of course you're always encouraged to substitute your own choices for what we've listed. At the very least you can use it as a shopping list so you don't begin your project missing that one vital component.

The question is, how careful do you have to be? Is it necessary to properly ground yourself with an electrostatic wrist strap before touching computer components, or do you just exercise a few simple precautions?

I have to admit I fall on the latter side, but I'm not the only one. Walk into any of those small computer stores you see by the hundred in any city, and go to the back. I'll bet you the guy up to his elbows in computer parts there is not wearing a wrist-strap, most likely because he is also the guy who is going to come out to the front and try to sell you something too. Yet this store will turn out computers as reliable on average as any other computer store you could walk into.

Sure you could say "what about the big manufacturers? What about Dell? Don't their techs wear wrist straps?" I'm sure they do. The thing is, I don't believe that Dell (as one example) has a parts failure rate that is significantly lower than that of any other major or minor manufacturer, and if there is a minor difference, it is going to be because major manufacturers have a standardized quality control system in place that your local AlphaBetaGamma computer store is not going to be able to emulate. With a few simple precautions, I don't think we need to worry much about ESD.

Simple precautions: Build your computer on a hard surface, away from carpets if possible. Wear shoes and a short-sleeved cotton shirt. Synthetic materials like polar fleece are excellent static generators, so it's best to wear natural fibers which don't create little lightning clouds everytime you shift your feet.