Let's look at some important things. Practically, I think a Power Mac running at least system 7.6 with 32 MB of RAM is about the base. If you are considering a Mac purchase, look at Apple's web site. The iBook and iMac are particularly good buys. Most of us do.
Ethernet is a cross-platform standard.
If you are running Mac OS 7.6 or later, setting up for very fast network access is no problem. I hook my PowerBook up to the VTS network regularly, especially in the library study carrols. I am currently using Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, which even have some features that the Windows versions do not. The Microsoft Macintosh Business Unit is a very good Mac developer. This software is free to download.