Using a PC for distortion?

Is there any way of hooking up a standard pc and using it for distortion (back into the amp for the final product), being new to electric guitars I want to try out a variety of distortion types and refuse to believe that this big box of cogs can't do the tricks a tiny pedal can do :) I don't mind splashing out on an expensive sound card, buying tons of pedals seems a waste though, surely software can emulate what the pedals offer?

Yes but you would probably be better thinking about exactly what you want. There are any number of amp sym plugins for things like Sonar, logic or protools that are really cool. However a pod would be a more easily transportable, more robust and equally good option that is custom made for this type of deal !