[Talbain]

If you just want something that works/gets the job done, I'd recommend something like HP. If you're trying to make it yourself, newegg is where you're going to start and there are a few other computer parts distributors, but Newegg is generally the starting place for people who don't make compies on a normal basis (as their system can tell you, sometimes, if your parts are conflicting; such as a CPU not being attachable to your motherboard due to pin count).
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[Talbain]

You can pirate Windows, but you won't get updates. Then again, the pirated versions of Windows I've used have never had any problems, and most of them have Service Pack 2.
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[Talbain]

[Talbain]

A good way to protect yourself from lots of junk is to just use a router. It will protect you from lots of stuff straight off.

uTorrent can work even if you are firewalled. I don't know about other torrent programs, though I assume they can as well.

A software firewall protects you from incoming things to an extent. A basic definition is something that blocks or attempts to block things from accessing and operating on your computer without your authorization. Very bad firewalls (such as Spybot S&D) can completely prevent you from having access to your computer, while good ones (such as Norton) are much more user-friendly.

A hardware firewall (on the consumer end, this is usually comprised of routers) monitors incoming and outgoing signals through the internet. Properly configured, it can limit unauthorized access to computers within its network.

A still more basic way to think of a "firewall" is simply something that puts a first-line defense around a computer or computers.
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