Start with buying the right PC.

Some computers cost less than Rs. 15,000, others three times more. The received wisdom is that you should buy the most powerful computer you can afford. But you don't need a racing car to get to the local bazaar. So how much is enough and what should you look out for?

The processor is the basic engine of a computer. The speed of the processor is determined by its 'clock rate', measured in megahertz (MHz) or more usually these days, giga hertz (GHz). Naturally, the higher the MHz rating the faster your computer will perform but, the fastest processors will be more expensive. The processor is one of the elements that will determine how fast your computer is, but it is not the only one. Overall performance is determined more by a combination of hardware components working with the software setup.

The second most important component is memory (RAM). The more memory a computer has, the greater the number of applications and operations it can run without slowing down - or giving up altogether. So in general, the more memory the better.
Windows Vista will offer a minimum of 2GB. If you're on a budget, 512MB may be the better option. It's easy (and cheap) to add more memory later as and when the need arises.

When you've bought your hardware, you're going to need software to make it work. Software is the general name given to the various kinds of programs used to operate computers and connected devices. It is often divided into application software (programs that do the work) and system software (which drive the computer).

An operating system (OS) is the program that manages all of the other programs in the computer. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing inputs from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.