"Too much" is relative. We do not know what MU's budget is, moreover, MU's parent's budget. Also, he or she mentioned that there really wasn't any guidelines so that leads me to believe that there is no cost ceiling either.

Plus, this would not only be a science project, but a working computer that he or she could use long after the science fair is over.

---

This is my personal Dream PC: http://forums.pcworld.com/blogs/mphenterprises/2007/12/21/my-gift-to-myself

When my son was in middle school, about 10 years ago, he took a color photograph with black and white film. He took multiple photographs of a fruit bowl, with the camera on a tripod, through red, green, and blue filters, using b&w slide film (that was the hardest part--finding b&w slide film). Then he borrowed three slide projectors, put the filters on the projectors, and lined them up. It worked.

Of course, it would be a bit different today with digital cameras.

Lincoln