Adding to Chris regarding the DAW etc,

Like Chris mentioned about getting and interface; this is key. The interface is really taking the analog and converting it to digital. And interface like Focusrite does that. In essense, to connect to your DAW, you need an interface and a microphone.

I have have the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2. It does the job very well and very affordble. Unless you're a recording studio, it will be more than enough. Get something like that and a Shure SM57 and you're ready to connect.

It might take a little learn ing to figure out how to get that Interface signal in to your DAW but in short, when you have connect the mic to the interface and plugged the interface to your USB port, your PC alredy knows there is new hardware. Within every DAW is the ability to select an input signal nd likely the interface (ie - Focusrite) will show up and you select it. Now the DAW program knows where to get the dignal from.

A good rousource is the recording Revolution. Though I haven't been over there for a while, it is an enormous resource with lots of free content.