Finale

Though i am a software engineer, i have very little knowledge on hardware side.. thus i would like to find out more about DIY pc...

What is form factor?
What is the naming convention for Graphics.. though i always see nVidia card and the latest is 8800 i think.. but there are a lot version...
As for the processor and mainboard.. what would be a good selection?

There are 2 main provider for processor. AMD and Intel..
I personally know AMD is good for overclocking and its actually cheaper and perform better. But how to select the right Processor?

csl_skyhawk

Form Factor - ATX and mATX (microATX) - usually refers to the motherboard and PC casing. An ATX motherboard may not fix into a mATX casing.

Graphic cards - basically Nvidia and ATI, selection should based on individual needs. But nowadays, the embedded graphic chips on the motherboard are good for normal tasks.

For processor, the trend now is dual-core processors. Currently, AMD have the X2 processors and Intel have the Core 2 Duo. Intel Core 2 Duo seem to have a edge over AMD X2 processors but in terms of dollars to performance ratio, AMD is preferred.

As for processor and motherboard selection, do recommend you read reviews or talk to friends who know.

Above are my 2cents worth of comments.

Desktop: AMD X2 3600+ 2GHz, 3GB RAM, 160GB HDD, 17" LCD display
Laptop: 14" Intel Core 2 Duo (Dell 640m), 7" Intel Celeron (ASUS EEE PC)
If it isn't good, let it die. If it doesn't die, make it good. - Ajahn Chah