> a 486 will deliver enough performance to read textual content and run a word processor and spreadsheet.

Are you still running Visicalc?

I have seen, used, and maintained spreadsheet applications that are irritatingly slow on eight core, i8, with 8 GB of ram, and an SSD.

Granted this was on Windows but nonetheless the idea that end users only need a 486 is ridiculous at best and probably insulting.