what pc desktop set-up is practicable nowadays?

People have the tendency to purchase the current models of almost anything. As for PCs, we want the fastest ones on the market. For the serious game or applications developer, quadcores are great. But for your average computer users, dualcores or even singlecores are sufficient. As for me, I am both a gamer and a programmer, so I'd go for a quadcore. =)

if you are not contented with your current desktop set-up or the speed of it then go for it, you may need a quadcore processor. but if your application or the software that you want to use and have just a little system requirements then just set-up a desktop that fits your need. Quadcore is not needed anymore.