I don't think you need to use your best (or favourite) PC - A second user one would perhaps do.
Having said all this I have an old Dell Inspiron which works just great, but perhaps this is the exception.
Tweakie.
Well my main plan was to use the desktop when I got a new PC but was tired of unhooking it from inside the house, hooking it up in the garage only to unhook - re-hook when I was done using it. The laptop I had sitting in the closet unused and I figure it was worth formatting and trying XP on it so that I can use it while I wait for the time to get a new PC.
What I will end up doing is getting a new laptop, take the old desktop for out in the garage, and give the IBM Thinkpad to my daughter so that she can play her games on it. In the mean time, I will use the laptop for learning the ropes and experimenting with.