I attend a church that is using Windows 95 (not 98, not Me, not xp). Why? Because it does what they need it to do (print the bulletin). Buying a $2000 mixer is INSANE for podcasting. I've been using the same Behringer $60 mixer for seven years. As for recording skype, you can do away with mix minus. You can record skype with an external recorder and never have to worry about software messing it up. I have a video showing how to do this.

People like the Mackie 1402vlz3 because it has channel inserts which people use for compressors.