HP, Dell, and IBM are giving Compaq serious competition. Packard-Bell PC's are NOT recommended. No-name clones are sometimes OK, but know your source. Consider a PC a 3-year investment. Word Processing and Spreadsheets are basic tools of Computers.
Spreadsheets are the language of business, used to keep financial data.
Database programs are more for technicians than the average person. Spreadsheet databases can do most of what average person needs. Inkjets are cheaper than lasers, but cost more to print, and print quality is not as good, sometimes smears, sometimes gets out of line. Epson Inkjets or Lasers are also good. It is not recommended to buy used PC's older than 3 years, because they are usually technologically backward, and upgrades are usually too expensive.