According to various folks, the standard PC of 2006 will have faster processor and memory bus speeds, at least a 2+GHz Pentium IV, AMD, or Celeron chip, a minimum 256MB of RAM (don't let the sales folks tell you 128MB is enough, it isn't anymore, and 512 is better), and cost something around $500 to a grand. They'd include Win XP Pro, a minimum 40GB hard drive and probably more, at least 2, if not 4, USB ports to replace serial and parallel ports, and both CD-RW and DVD-ROM drives if possible (having a CD-RW drive obviates the need for a Zip drive and is pretty much a necessity, I'd say). They would also include good graphics cards (most of the major brands are fine, but I would suggest avoiding the "integrated graphics" configuration), sound cards, and at least a 17-inch monitor (see if you can haggle for a LCD flat screen display). It would be prepared for the bandwidth-hungry gobblers coming down the pike. If price isn't your first concern, then you might go for a 3.0GHz chip, 512MB of RAM or more, a 7200 RPM, 80GB+ hard drive or larger, separate DVD-ROM and CD-RW drives, a 19-inch or larger flat-screen LCD monitor, Ethernet connectivity (skip the modem-delete option, you'll want the option to connect via dialup if your broadband connectivity goes south), and both USB and FireWire ports (at least 4 USB ports). DVD-RW drives are all over the market, and even though there's still some hassling over a single standard, there's no longer a reason to wait. Digital photography buffs ought to have a FireWire adapter and PC Card reader, while game freaks will want a top-flight graphics controller. The "standard" for budget PCs goes something like a 1GHz Celeron-based PC, 128MB of Ram, a 20+GB hard drive, 40X CD-ROM drive, a decent midrange video card, a V.92 modem, decent speakers, and a 17-inch monitor. Don't forget the warranties, and keep chanting, "Screw the accessories, you want value." Factory-refurbished PCs are usually good values.

A very good source for keeping up with modern PC standards is the System Buyer Recommendations page at Geek.com. Another good place for new PC buying advice is at Dave's Guide to Buying a Computer, though it hasn't been updated since October 2001. A good article about the future of computing is "2003 And Beyond," a long editorial/article speculating on the next 10 years of computing trends, at www.aaxnet.com/editor/edit029.html.