If you are looking for something more along the lines of a work tape instead of a big production (which all of mine basically are) then any 98 Windows and over version works fine.
Audacity and .wav is all I have used.
I am glad I was warned about Vista.

I have noticed too that the smaller hard drives seem to make the music easier to manage and if possdible, a computer that is not used for the internet.

I have become a fan of these little external hard drives the size of a small bic lighter.

A MAC would be great!

It is something I do not feel I need for a thousand dollar plus investment and I like recording lo-fi and also integrate with analog means.
So I am trying to make at the most a more superior work tape.

I would love to snatch one of these old apple computers from the eighties.

http://www.f3music.com/444