The Alesis mixer would definitely be a useful tool, if your computer doesn't have a better way of accepting different types of audio input (which it most likely doesn't). It will be a good learning tool if nothing else. Also, if it can only record a single stereo track, one way I used to get around this, if I wanted to record two simultaneous tracks at a time, and have them each on a separate editable track, I would set one track to record the left input, and the other track to record the right input, and on the mixer, I would pan everything that I wanted on one track to the left, and everything I wanted on the other track to the right.

Also, the POD 2.0 is an awesome recording tool! I have a PODxt, along with many other various ways of recording guitar, and I sill use my POD 2.0.