[Wouldn't it be useful.....]

Not really. I just deduct 7 or 8 hours from GMT/BST to gauge what PST/PMT might be. Besides, hanging around in a sim on Tuesdays and Wednesdays waiting for that 5 minute warning is one of the last remaining adrenaline rushes in SL.

[How much money?]

How much money do I need to spend on a computer that can cope with everything Second Life® throws at it?

What new resource-sapping features are in the pipeline?

I ask only because I'm about to lay new driveway for a client and may have to "factor-in " the costs of an evermore top-heavy, strangely addictive computer game.