What kind do have/reccommend?
Please tell me anything that could be helpful in planning for the next one, "before" this one passes :-D

Maybe what a little mouse needs is a netbook!! A miniture laptop....goes everywhere, very portable! I just got an Acer and am very happy with it! Especially since I was still able to get Windows XP with it! Have too many things going on with XP and did not want to have to change all kinds of programs! I have heard Asus is also very good in the netbook market. The screens are 10.1 in diagonally and the keboard is smaller than normal but not too bad. I really like mine!
Susan

I have actually thought about one of those since I used my brothers on vacation last summer.
I also like the idea of putting it by my s. machine.
I have had xp before and really liked it.
What price range should I expect?

Mine has 8 gigs of memory, a 8800 Nvidia series video card, dual monitors, optical mouse, DVD rom, Dual core 3.0 processor, Vista 64 bit and 5 fans inside.

You can get a netbook @ W-Mart for just a little over $250, but I think they all have the new windows {Vista} in them, but that could be very good too! I have not seen one over $400.
Susan

I actually have an answer to your "how old is old" question, born of my current problems with my beloved 4-year-old system. If you can still use it, no need to worry about it being obsolete. However, the moment you need to replace a part, it's too old if they no longer make parts that can fit into your computer.

Netbooks are great for portability and price, not so easy on the eyes. Other limitations: No CD or DVD drive. You can use an external one to load your software into it, though. Limited hard drive and power, though more than adequate for most uses. You'd only notice the limitations if you store a ton of sound, graphics and video files on it, or if you're a hard-core gamer.

Are you a hard-core gamer, Mousie?????

Last I looked, you could get a netbook for $300. But just today in Best Buy, I saw an Asus laptop with Windows 7, 300 GB hard drives and lots of power for $450 and a similar Toshiba laptop for $500.

We are all being forced to move to Windows 7, so you might want to consider that. On the other hand, some of your older software may not work with Windows 7.

wow! now that's doable!
I do like XP better than Vista though. Been a while, maybe Vista is better now.

[quote=Lisanne]I actually have an answer to your "how old is old" question, born of my current problems with my beloved 4-year-old system. If you can still use it, no need to worry about it being obsolete. However, the moment you need to replace a part, it's too old if they no longer make parts that can fit into your computer.

Netbooks are great for portability and price, not so easy on the eyes. Other limitations: No CD or DVD drive. You can use an external one to load your software into it, though. Limited hard drive and power, though more than adequate for most uses. You'd only notice the limitations if you store a ton of sound, graphics and video files on it, or if you're a hard-core gamer.

Are you a hard-core gamer, Mousie?????

:mrgreen: ...not the kind you mean, Lisanne! :wink:

Now you know I was kidding, right? :D
Not that there's anything wrong with shoot 'em ups and battles and grand theft auto. (yeah, right)

The thing is, Vista has just been replaced by Windows 7. If you want to keep XP, you pretty much can only get it by buying a netbook.

If you decide to move to a newer version of Windows, skip right over Vista and Windows 7, because not only was Vista much disliked, it's now becoming obsolete. With 7, you can use a classic Windows view, by the way.

I have an ACER lap top w/ a double core that is what my computer guy suggested I get. Get the best you can afford. A laptop is great because you cng machine or anywhere you go. Best thing I could have bought. :-D bought if for myself for Christmas :thumbup: