Hi.. i'm looking to build a small home studio.. have an IBM R40 laptop with a 140GB hard drive. Instruments wise i play a PRS custom 22 through a Boss GT 8 and Boss V Wah into a Marshall MG100dfx. I use a Yamaha PSR 350 keyboard for laying down basic backing tracks. Don't have any equipment for vocals yet.
I'd be grateful if anyone could help me with these :
which software do i use?.. reason, cubase, cakewalk?
will i need to upgrade the soundcard.. if so which one do i get?
Vocals wise do i get a condenser mic, is it better than a dynamic mic?as you've prob guessed by now.. recording vocals is something i don't know anything about  .. hehe
and whats the big deal about studio quality moninors.. will a good set of headphones suffice?
I'm not planning to record drums at home.. just vocals, guitar, bass.. so how big a mixer do i get.. and will a patchbay suffice?
and where do get to learn the basics of recording, mastering, mixing etc.. online i mean.
Hmm thats already a long list.. any inputs would be really helpful.
thankee 

Look at some of the stuff entheon has posted. He knows a lot about this!