Computer

Since my laptop died a gruesome and horrible death, with two short and
unscucessful risings from microsoft hell (no hot angels to help me,
I'm afraid), I'm working exclusively with my desktop computer. (and
when I say working, please notice that I mean lj, emails, ebay and
other fun stuff. Okay, occasionally I work from home, but I use
external servers when I do)

Said desktop computer was bought used on ebay in 2005. Which makes it
rather old, I guess. Plus, the main board battery is screwed (or so
i've been told), so the clock resets itself etc.

So I guess it's time for a new computer. Only, I don't know what I want or need.

Here's what I have now:
HD 40 GB (I know, you are all laughing at me. But I have 500GB
external HDs, so I'm doing fine)
no dvd burner (which would be nice to have, I guess)
768 MB RAM
Processor: ??? (I could look it up, but I'm not at home)
Windows XP, which I rather like

I'm not going to buy a Mac, even if it is pretty. No, really, I'm not.
*oggles the pretty*
NO.


So, what do I need? It'll have to be Windows Vista (see NO MAC resolve
above), which makes me wonder if my programs will still work. It's
only the old photoshop that I worry about (not that I ever really use
it, untalented as I am) and MS Office, which, uhm, you know. Well, I
guess I could always buy a copy. (of MS Office, not of Photoshop,
because, hello! expensive!)


I don't worry about HD space much, since "small" these days is
apparently 250GB, which is 6 times as much as I have now.

I don't vid, I don't play games, I don't play Second Life or SIMS or
anything that is graphic intensive. I use the computer 99% for
internet, the rest is my ipod, my camera, and watching TV shows (not
online).

I heard that Windows Vista requires tons of RAM, so I'm thinking 2 GB
minimum. Though there is that nice PC with 4GB RAM on offer right now.
Is that too much? Can there be too much?

What I have no idea about is the processor, simply because I know
nothing about them.
Here are some numbers from recent advertisements:
(2,4 GHz, 8 MB Cache, 1066 MHz FSB)
(2,53 GHz, 3 MB Cache, 1066 MHz FSB)
(2,0 GHz, 1 MB Cache, 800 MHz FSB)

What do they mean, and what do I need (or rather, what should I want,
because I figure, if I'm going to buy a new computer, I can go for the
best available at a reasonable price)

What else should I be looking for? All I can think of are USB ports,
which I'm gonne need lots of, but is there anything else I need to be
aware of?

Help?