>Helping someone with a very limited budget pick out a PC for home. It will be used mostly by one of their kids who are in high school.

If you can count on them fixing most of the little problems they get themselves into, I'ld reccommend getting a used pc from ebay coupled with a better brand-new screen. The "security" brands offer is IMHO sometimes needed/helpful with laptops or in large offices where standartization helps administrators. The screen is often the longest lasting item and the one where your $ will be well spent. Noise also can be a deciding factor - but even a cheap self built box with a silent fan can be quite effective - I have put most of my machines in a separate machine room which is wonderful if you can manage.

my 0.02 EUR

thomas