I need hardware recommendations NOW!

[Guest]

Flyers: I have a friend who suddenly has just got to get into simming with me on MSFS202. I run a decent system. He wants decent, but mid range on the pricing. Real quick: Can you recommend your motherboard? Type of memory? Video Card? CPU? I am trying to spec out his system now. He needs a system that will run the sim well enough, look good enough, but not eat him alive on bucks. So, what is it to be: Athlon? Athlon XP? Pentium 3? 4? Which Mainboard: I like FIC or Soyo but what do you think? What combination might make a good mid-range system. I know I can run MSFS2002 on a Duron 650 with a 16MB Voodoo card but what should I really throw together for this guy that can get him into the game with out him taking out a loan? Can I find a video card, some kind of Nvidia for under a hundred bucks? Whose? Where? Thanks. I'll start watching for some good answers.

[Guest SD Sim]

I'll be happy to help, but I really need some idea of the cash available first. Also, do you need a monitor? Do you (or your friend) want a ready to go system, or are you willing to assemble your own? I can easily recommend a self assembled system for ~750 (US). Is that in the right ballpark cash wise?