Computers are the pits

Our computer is slowly and painfully on its way out. We're lucky that it has lasted until now. We bought a cheaper version to get us through our summer in Boise and Japan. Now we've been home from Japan for 2 years, so I guess that is a fruitful life for a computer-why are computers so pathetic? I'm wondering-does anyone have a wonderful, hard working, reliable, magic, and affordable computer that they can recommend? I don't even know where to start looking. I don't even know how serious I am, I just have a feeling our computer might not make it to Halloween.