Damnation, I thought I was free of all this... I never should have run up the bow line of that scow in the harbor... but they were shipping out and those cats were chasing... grumble... grumble...
So Hoe Squaw needs recommendations for a new computer?
Well, generally I like to recommend hardware that performs the anticipated tasks well, but is not at the price point where you are still paying for the 'newness' factor, while still attempting to hold to the line that "Any machine you have to wait for is, by definition, too slow."
For most, I would recommend a P4 2.4GHz or 2.6GHz processor with the 800 MHz frontside bus and hyperthreading, although if you only run single applications at a time, you should tweak the hyperthreading off. Memory should be 1 GB. Less is soooo passe... Video cards are tough, as I am an nVidia fan (GeForce 4 Ti 5700 was my last purchase). The exact model can be debated, but look for the fastest GPU MHz, 'cause like the CPU, faster is better. Likewise, 128 MB RAM on the video card and DirectX 9 support are de rigeur.
So in your case, Hoe Squaw, I think an abacus strikes the right balance. Very affordable, and it won't process at a speed that overtaxes your neurons.