Need Computer help

I currently have an HP G60 Notebook
3 GB
32 bit
windows vista
I have 190GB free of 287 available on my hard drive and
1.81GB free of 10.8 on my recovery drive.

All of the above is greek to me, just figured it would help with my questions. In addition, the drives that allow you to use a zip drive to store stuff dont work for some reason.

I have not had any major issues with this computer and I love it, but the letters are actually wearing of the key board, and I use it for work, so I am freaked out about losing all my spreadsheets and stuff.

Everything out there is windows 8 and I havent heard good stuff about that system and I dont want to be the first buyer and be the guinea pig for microsoft to only come out with a better one six months from now.

All of my programs and software are windows based so I am not looking to covert to a mac, my mom has one and I dont really like using it.

When I have alot of programs open or even alot of tabs on internet explorer, I tend to have issues with things responding to commands.

So... What is the best course of action, can I add something to this computer to make it run better or do I just hope for the best until another operating system comes out? Any help would be appreciated, but it needs to be in the form of computers for dummies as I am not well versed in computer knowledge.