if the hair algorithms are anything like SoftImage, those little yellow dots on the last hair image are control hairs. you select those, then whatever modifiers you apply to those are interpolated to the hairs on the rest of the model. as far as rendering, it may not be as intensive as you think. most of those hairs may only be one polygon. i have a PII 350 and i can still run pretty intensive programs, as long as i turn high-level previews down and book a long vaction whenever i render. don't freak out yet. wait until we see the specs. then buy the most powerful computer you can get your paws on. or do it right and get a mac.