Absolute newbie questions

I admit it, I'm a newbie to the 3d printing field and it's recent developments, but I'd like to get into it. I have a few questions, but if this topic becomes really helpful, maybe it'd be possible to pin it?

The questions I have are;

Where should I start reading to learn the basics of what to look for? I don't know much about 3d printing, except you can print pretty much anything that fits on the platform with the right software and hardware mix.

What software is available for a Linux based system? for my development machine I use Debian and would like to stay there if possible, though I do have Windows as well if a solution is significantly easier to use there.

How much should I spend? I was thinking about $650 (usd), is this enough to get a complete unassembled kit that will when tuned of course, produce a good result, even if I have to print it really slow?

Is there a reputable vendor in the US that sells complete kits?

Read the wiki articles here, and ask questions.

There are some books out or coming out, check your local libraries.

I dont think $650 will get you a complete kit anywhere, but should be enough to buy all the parts piecemeal, if you shop smart.

You should be able to stay completely on debian/linux if you want.

I ended up getting a complete kit from reprappro.com in the UK, which was $750 including the international shipping.

It will also depend on what printer you are trying to build and what extras you plan to have (heated bed, different extruder, etc). There are plenty of people that have posted Bill of Materials for various models and you can use that to look up prices and get a better idea. I built a Prusa Mendel with PCB heated bed and Wades Extruder - I certainly would be happy to share my parts list/costs and where I got them from. Not exactly sure what the total is at this point - but I think its between 600-700.

hey, very happy to see this thread. I'll be moving soon, setting up a home workbench with the goal of having a prusa and shapeoko by the end of the year. Looking forward to learning more on these forums.

Get a printrbot. I have one and it works great. It has a very quality hot end and extruder, a nice heated bed, all linear bearings, and overall a very compact design. The kit is only 500 dollars. However, they are still shipping kickstarter bots, so you will have to wait a while for it. Brook should put the kits in the store soon.