@FrankenPC: Alternatively, get a PC with Ubuntu Linux. open up a terminal and type in:

@FrankenPC: If you are just starting out, install Linux or BSD on any old hardware you have laying around. It has all the tools built in for free to do all those things mentioned in a easy to understand and use environment. #teachyourself

If you are JUST starting out. Get a PC with Visual Studio 2008 and .NET 3.5. With just those programs, you can create nearly everything I've discussed. You can even run a local run-time version of Microsoft SQL and a web server. Everything you need on one PC. Plus, VS2008 has great intellisense support. …