I'm thinking of getting a HP or Dell machine and would like to get some feedback or any other machine for her. Our requirements are minimal as I don't game on a PC anymore and she likes the 17" screen of the 2 brands I said above.

Watching DVDs and IP Thai TV here in the states is all she cares the PC should do well. For me working with pdf files and number crunching RPG generators is what I need from the machine.

I purchased (in the US) a Dell

read up about the new OS vista, then avoid anyone selling a new laptop that preloads it.

nothing but headaches and time spent and wasted trying to avoid vista

my stupid gateway came preloaded with vista, now its a dual boot with XP............hours spent doing that

US Consumer Reports recommends that any computer running Vista have at least 1mb of RAM and a fast processor. No celeron chips.
It runs 3D games slower than XP, but has some better features in handling photos in Media Center.
My notebook has XP and if you can find one with XP installed it may be less expensive and less troublesome than a Vista. Then again, a Mac has less problems.

I have purchased about 12 Dell computers never once had a problem.

Thanks for the help everyone as I did have questions about Vista. I'll check with Dell and see if they will load a new laptop with XP. She was sitting with me looking at the Dell site and saw she could order her new laptop with a pink case Looks like shes make up her mind

Any tips on equipment to have loaded in the machine?

I thought she would like the pink one I just got that catalog in the mail last week.

Suggestion memory max it out the more the better improves os recent news for vista desktop to be useful 4 gig of memory. 1 gig useless

Thai_1_On wrote:Thanks for the help everyone as I did have questions about Vista. I'll check with Dell and see if they will load a new laptop with XP. She was sitting with me looking at the Dell site and saw she could order her new laptop with a pink case Looks like shes make up her mind

Any tips on equipment to have loaded in the machine?

Stay away from Vista at all costs. You might be better off having someone build a computer for you and preloading XP. I'm considering that very thing right now.

If you go the prebuilt route, you can't go wrong with Dell. I love my Inspiron 9300 laptop.

I just bought an ASUS F5R-AP214C laptop in Oz which will run Vista Business edition. All the Melbourne computer stores I visited during my investigation from superstores to the local pc shop advised that Microsoft will not continue suporting XP from mid-next year and have bought up all unsold stocks of XP and even removed XP from computers in store and replaced them with Vista. Therefore be careful you will be able to have XP supported from the fairly near future accordingly. Trevor

Miruku wrote:Microsoft will not continue suporting XP from mid-next year and have bought up all unsold stocks of XP and even removed XP from computers in store and replaced them with Vista.

That sucks. For those with computers who cannot take anymore RAM, you may need to buy new computers in order to handle Vista ...

sorry, but who calls microsoft for support anyway?

vista is the worst OS ever made, the only things it does is that I like make cute sounds, the rest of the "features" is crap.

As a webmaster, I cant even run MICROSOFT FRONTPAGE in vista, yes its a microsoft program.

all new laptops come with everything built in, and not much more is needed, make sure you get a DVD burner though.

Wilson, you're right about that ... In 20 years, I've never needed MSFT for any support.

I was thinking in terms of security support.

Wilson, you're right about that ... In 20 years, I've never needed MSFT for any support.

That seems unlikely as Microsoft is constantly releasing updates both security and otherwise for its o/s. Once Microsoft discontinues support there will be no additional patches available for XP.

Having said that I doubt Microsoft would discontinue support for XP anytime soon as there are litterally millions of copies in use around the world many on computers bought within the last year. They usually support old o/s for at least 5 years.

My little brother just found astory that Micro$oft wiil support XP till April 2009 then have "extended service" for 5 years after on a pay for tech support basis.

All this just sets the my mind spinning. Guess it's time for a glass of scotch