SO you're thinking about buying a computer but don't know where to start? I don't blame you. the pace of innovation has created a fear barrier which affects almost everybody who does not work daily with computers. Few of us have the time (or, to be honest, the inclination) to keep abreast with technological trends.

Until, one day, our private anxiety about being left behind is dramatically heightened when Junior comes home from school techno-babbling in a language which we barely begin to comprehend. We admit, perhaps grudgingly, that our children's education (not to mention our own) will at some point suffer if deprived of access to modern computers and the Internet. Red-faced and sheepish, we realise it's time to buy a PC.

It's crazy but true that it's easier to buy a #12,000 car than a #1200 computer. You can go out and get yourself, say, a BMW and feel justifiably confident that it will do exactly what it says in the handbook. This doesn't work with computer companies. There is no prima facie case for trusting Dell over Dill, Doll or even Dull. They are all essentially playing the same game on a perfectly level playing field.

It's a bit like pick'n'mix at the sweetie counter. They buy in components from specialist suppliers, shuffle them up, bolt them together in many varied and interesting ways, stick the results in a box and bung a logo on the front. Computer ''manufacturers'' don't actually manufacture a thing.

Their real skill is building affordable, upgradeable machines where every individual element supports, enhances and harmonises with all the others. You'd think it would be easy. It's not. But sometimes they get it right. How do you know when?

The migraine-inducing problem for you and me as potential shoppers lies in comparing one system with another. Unless you know your hardware from your software, your bits from your bytes, and your RAM from your ROM, it's a veritable nightmare. No two companies offer identical products and there are, literally, millions of possible component combinations. It all comes down to the technical spec and the many horrors hidden therein.

Check out the adverts, 233 Mhz Pentium! 17in monitor! #500 of FREE software! Wow, you think. Don't. These announcements are, at best, misleading. Some are positively actionable. A fast processor matched with a slow hard disk or too little RAM will run like a lame duck. Offers of free printers and scanners may look like unbelievable bargains but - believe it - the price has already been paid.

To discover where, exactly, you must understand and study the full spec. If you trust to luck and buy an off-the-shelf, prettily-packaged system with one or two snazzy headline components and a couple of freebies, it may be weeks or even months before you curse the wretched machine's shortcomings, but curse it you surely will.

So buying a computer is a fraught process. Don't let that put you off. Breathe deeply and take it on the chin. You're still reading this so presumably you still want a computer. Perhaps you need one (kiddie pressure?) planning to hook up to the office and work from home? Desperate to surf the Net? You certainly should have one. Everyone should. Computers are marvellous things.

Over the coming months, this series will attempt to help you buy wisely by debunking the myths and cutting through the jargon. Let's start with three frequently asked questions.

Q: When is the right time to buy?

A: It is the very nature of computer technology to be in a state of constant flux, with any number of new developments, improvements and replacements waiting in the wings. Whatever you buy, at any time, at any price, will be obsolete soon enough. Sorry. But that will be equally true tomorrow and the day after that. The right time to buy is when you know what you want. The smart way to buy is to ensure that your system is future-proofed.

Q: How do I know what I want?

A: It's a combination of several factors: your budget, what you want to do with your computer right now and what you are likely to want to do in the future. This series will help you get to grips with the right hardware specs for your current and foreseeable requirements.

Q: Where should I buy from?

A: There are various choices open to you, from superstores to the High Street to mail order. As a rule, you get a lot more computer for your money buying direct from the manufacturer - but you have to know what you're doing.

Kyle MacRae offers independent personal consultations, including computer sourcing and installation. For a no-obligation information pack, contact him on 0141 649 4073.