Opinions, please

[marceggers]

For the past several months I've enjoyed reading the posts, but now I'd like to ask for some advice. Two years ago I bought a digital video camcorder and have been using my PC to download, edit, and burn the video I shoot onto DVD. I then got into putting my old VHS tapes onto the camcorder using my VCR and then editting them and burning them onto a DVD. ( I guess I should have bought a capture-card and put the VHS tapes directly onto my PC but I never got around to it.)
Soon friends and family were asking me to put their VHS memories onto a DVD. Now friends of friends want me to do it for them as well. A light bulb comes on and I see a side source of income at my doorstep!
Here's my question. I want to get a new computer just for video editting. I do not plan to connect it to the internet. I'm thinking 3 gigs of processor speed, at least 1 gig of RAM, and tons of harddrive storage. So:
1 - Almost 2 out of 3 people I talk to who are familiar with what I want to do say go with a Mac. But if I'm not going to be online and expose myself to all those nasty virus does it matter? (PCs cost less.)
2 - How much dedicated video memory will I need if I want to feed analog video directly into my system or should I use a capture card?
3 - Could you recommend a VCR that will be gentle to these old VHS tapes that are turning into dust.

Thanks.

[steveryan]

1, Do you really want to learn how to use a Mac? I'd stick with a PC.
2, If you use a hardware MPEG card (Hauppauge 250, 350) then CPU speed doesn't matter. I use a P3 700 with a Hauppage 250 without problems.
3, http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/capture/playback.htm

[MJA]

Top dogs around here recommend JVC VCR

[davideck]

For 3); At the risk of repeating myself...
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1381787