If you had

[madmax]

400.00 to buy a notebook what brand and internals would you choose. Only would be using b.s. like Explorer Browser, email. I could wait for my son to tell me but, he's over his head now and I don't want to pester him. I got you folks :rofl:

[hobbit709]

1. At that price range, they're all pretty much the same.

Personally, I've had good luck with HP/Compaq. Stay away from Dell. I wouldn't use Internet Exploder for anything. Download and install Firefox or SeaMonkey from Mozilla, Opera or any of several other browsers available.

Once you take it out of the box, download and install PC Decrapifier
http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/download
And get rid of all the "trial offers" and other garbage that comes preloaded.

For security I would install Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Antimalware.
I use Foxit Reader instead of that bloatware Adobe Acrobat Reader, Irfanview for basic image manipulation, OpenOffice pretty much does everything that overpriced POS MS Office does.

Another decent little utility program is Advanced Windows Care
http://majorgeeks.com/Advanced_WindowsCare_v2_Personal_d4991.html
When you install it, it tells you an upgrade is available but don't get it. The newer version is called Advanced Systems Care and IMO it's not as efficient as the older version. The new one breaks up all the functions into several categories-each with it's own window and the older one did everything in one window with one click.

[madmax]

2. Sounds good to me.

Simple straight forward. Those who know 'how a computer works' and all the lingo and latest stuff are leap years ahead of me.

I trust DU and my kid to just give me enough info to get it together. No gamer here, just DU and bullshit. ;)

My son was an IT guy doing really great in the 90's and then well you know...

I really don't have to buy the little notebook, just wanted something to take with me to the Dr. when I get IV infusions which last for 4-6 hours for RA.

This lap was fine until Vista got hung up and even doing a complete re-install wouldn't work with the recovery disc. :shrug:

While the son had a few hours I begged him to please just get me online - he had a bundle of Win7 with the license keys or serial numbers or whatever the hell and did a complete clean install but, Win 7 really sux. I hate it.

Thanks for your tips and advice hobbit. Only suggestion I may not follow is I've tried Mozilla and Firfox and always go back to Explorer - drives my kid nuts, too. ;)

Decrapifier :rofl: :hug:

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

3. I would like to chime in... Check with your ISP and look into Webmail.

I say that because some ISP's don't offer it.

If you don't use Outlook their is Thunderbird and Seamonkey. I think Opera does Email too.

I use different computers all the time and I don't worry about installing any Email programs. I use Webmail all the time. I save the ones I need to keep onto two jump drives and delete the rest. Most are Spam anyway.

[madmax]

4. I'll check that out because

my email needs or ultra basic. I hate Outlook, too many functions, buttons and b.s. My needs are to communicate with friends and shop on line. Type, send, receive - that's it. I've alway used Outlook Express and my son starts with me about all the great features of the full version of Outlook. I love him and he wants to make my life easier. He sets me up with 'idiot friendly' programs.

It's the little things, like fill forms, robo forms and things like that- I don't have to remember 109 passwords. Great stress reliever ;)

Tried Lycos - hated that, too.

The computer is my ears - I'm hearing impaired (began in my 20's) so I use email for everything except when dealing with Dr's because the jerks don't understand that I want to be able to email for appt's or xncl them without having to ask other people to call. Whatever, that's another fish to fry at a later date. I'm working on training them to work with me on my terms.

Thanks for your input. I don't know how I'd make it without DU and Dr. Google.

[Warpy]

5. I've had decent luck with HP

and lousy luck with Toshiba.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox. The machine will thank you.

[madmax]

6. Ok - I'll give firefox a chance again based

on your rec. Spousal unit and I have a Toshiba lap each and Desktop is a HP. Everyone I talked to says the same thing about Dell - don't buy.

When my son first started out 30 years ago he would build his own.

[ConsAreLiars]

7. A suggestion regarding your old notebook.

While waiting for your new one download a Linux Live CD and give it a test drive on your older notebook. It will be rather slow, since it will be reading from a CD (or DVD) rather than a much faster hard drive.

There are maybe a hundred variants, each trying to focus on providing what needs to be running on day one to serve a particular community of users. But I would recommend Linux Mint for a couple of reasons. One is that it includes some proprietary codecs needed for running certain types of media files, while many others do not. The second is that is different that the various Windows versions, but it works in ways that a mouser, home user is basically familiar with. In my view, the differences are things that make the user more powerful and using it easier.

You'll need to be sure the notebook's BIOS is set to boot from the CD/DVD drive before the hard drive before you can use ythe Live CD/DVD.

I would start with http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=52 if you have no DVD, or with http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=55 if you do.

If you want something a bit more tricked out with more of the pretty already there, the KDE desktop look and feel might be worth looking at for comparison: CD at http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=61 and DVD at http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=61 . There are also three more desktop variants, all within the Mint family.

All come with Firefox as a browser and Thunderbird for email and pretty much everything you will need for anything. Installing is simple and fast, assuming you've already copied off everything you want to save that was on the old computer and are ready to wipe that drive clean. A bit more care is needed if you want to leave Windows running there as another option when booting the machine. And more knowledge, just a bit, will help you make wiser choices during the install using the advanced option. But before you worry about any of that, just give a few of these LiveCD/DVD a test drive or three.

My own path was building a new computer, and while trying to decide whether getting that guy in India to OK putting my OEM XP on it was likely to succeed and the 12 hours of upgrading, adding drivers, and reinstalling everything to keep it from being attacked successfully was worse than sending $100 or more to ill Gates, I decided to try Linux.

A period of time when both the older XP machine seemed easier, and a period of time when Linux Mint seemed increasingly easier and actually far better. Maybe 3 months, and then I just pulled the data drive out of the old one, unplugged it and put it in storage.

Fun for some, or maybe just an unwanted bit of hassle. It can be either, but you may want to play a bit. and help is not far away.

[madmax]

8. I would like to thank each of you for your help.

Advice and opinions. It's been a major odyssey. All the data that was backed up on my external hard drive was great. Except I may have burned something out leaving it on the carpet. My son is working on that. He thinks he can get it out. If not it's not the end of the world. I'll get over it, this country is in deep shit and a few emails and pix files don't matter.

I hated Win7 so he did a complete re-install of Vista and has gotten my major needs working. Email, DU, Internet. Poor guy, just made two trips from NJ - NC unloading and trying to get his house livable with the basics, beds, washer/dryer etc. Yet took the time to help his old Mom. I fell 2 days ago and may have fractured a hip so we had to do all that bullshit for 2 days x-rays, dr. sooo much fun. Will have results Wednesday.

We're a small family so we take care of each other the best we can even if we're bitching and moaning about it. I took care of my Mom when she was getting older - passed away at 92. Even though I'm only hahahaha 'only' 61 I'm having issues and he's been right there for me as well as my daughter in law since they moved 3 weeks ago.

You guys are awesome help. :group: When he gets a chance to breathe he'll be popping in here I'm sure. He knows all about DU from me. :)