Just to make things clearer in an attempt to avoid further debate in this thread. I do not think that there is one right or wrong answer as to what computer stuff someone should get. What is clearly right for one may be totally wrong for another. We all have suggestions to make and then no one but Billye knows what will be best for her.

As to the things that have prompted disagreement, we can debate those on another occasion.

I don't know alot about laptops and their operating systems, thankfully my hubby does, but I just wanted to say something about the weight of the laptop.

I have a toshiba laptop and while I didn't think the weight would be a problem when we bought it now I wish we would have got a smaller one. I think mine is in the 6 to 7 lb range but I am not sure.

I do know on those days my arms are tired, burning and sore it is a struggle to lift that thing. My neice just bought a laptop from HP and boy what a difference. I think you are buying online so I just wanted to add that about the weight. Congrats on getting one though, hope your feeling better...Sue

OK now
 

No arguing here. I love you all and really am uncomfortable with having any discord on the forum because of me. I'm going to print all of this for my husband, who believe it or not is computer savy.

I would like the laptop for communications, games, searching the net for medical help for all sorts of things. I use it for a dictionary. I store pictures on it, I want it to use when I'm in the hospital or traveling so that I can do all of the above. I want it to learn with, I'm tryiing to learn all I can, because Sjogren's does cause the brain to deteriorate in some cases. I'd like to take computer classes, watch movies, I can go on and on. There is no end of what I want to do. And some of what I want to do..I don't even know yet. Computers are new to me but not to my husband. He's a retired Systems Engineer with two Master's degrees. He's really smart and good to me.

I want it to take jewelry classes on, to have the capacity to do jewelry design by computer, to scan documents and my jewelry. To sell the jewelry on a site or ebay if I need to. As I said, the list goes on and on.

I forgot to add, I use it for keeping records of meds, doctors, finances, I don't even know where to stop and start with my need for the computer.

I'm tired today, the housekeeper sent a new crew, and they had no real supervision and I'm just tired. Later..

Billye

Billye:

Get the lightest (weight I mean) one you can. It will be easier for you in the long run.

And when you're ready to sell your stuff on ebay, just pm me. I did Ebay for years. Know it backwards and forwards.

So when you're ready, just holler.

And take care of yourself.

Melody

Mel, I respectfully disagree with you about weight. I'd suggest Billye get the biggest screen. If it's heavy, she can put it on a bed table like you'd use if you were eating breakfast in bed. Her sight is failing, and the size screen will make a big difference. In fact, my advice to Billye is just get the biggest screen made, and forget the rest.

Billye,

Do you have any software of your own, that is any that you plan on installing on your new machine - - or perhaps you are just planning to use the programs that will already be installed? And do you have any hardware that you would plan to connect to your new machine - - things like a printer, scanner, camera, etc?

Assuming you are not going to be lugging this around with you outside the house, I also think that you want a good size screen. However, you have to be careful when choosing a screen for a new notebook. In general, the larger the screen, the higher the resolution. What this means is that you will see much more detail but the text (and icon) size gets smaller.

So these large screens are often great for watching movies and videos, but a killer for reading text, especially for anybody with vision issues. I am in that category myself - - I have turned down quite a few great notebooks because the resolution is too big.

Do not let any computer sales folks tell you that you can always just lower the resolution and make the text bigger. While this is technically true, the result is less than desirable. All notebook screens have what is called a "native resolution." The images look best and the text is the sharpest at this native resolution. I have seen them demonstrate the lower resolution in the store, and the customer thinks that it really isn't so bad. But when they get it home and start using it for awhile, they will be very unhappy.

I think you may be ok with the resolution on this Toshiba as it is not as high a resolution as other screens of this size. I definitely would not go any higher. If you are using a screen now, it might be helpful to compare the resolution. If you don't know, you could just post the name and model of the screen, and I can find out. If all that is too much, then it really might be a good idea to go the computer store and check it out for yourself.

rafi

To Finney
 

Finney,
We're planning on using whatever software comes with the computer, but my husband says we will also get the software for Microsoft Office because I use it a lot. We'll be hooking it to a printer we have and he knows how to do this as he had to when using the client's software for the laptops that belong to them. And at some point maybe to the scanner and color printer too.

I currently have a Sceptre 19 inch monitor and I think it is fine for me. Even with my deteriorating eyesight, it works just fine most of the time. Sometimes by evening, my eyes are so dry that some letters are hard to see but most of the time it's fine. We stepped my monitor up one step in size to this one last year. I'm not sure what the model no. is. I can't bend my body enough to read it off. But the letter's I can see without seriously bending are X9G-NA??. Is that any help?

You are right in that I probably will not be using it outside of the house except for hospital stays or trips. We don't plan to carry it around while in town.

And I understand that with the 17 inch monitor, I'll be able to get a full size keyboard. That is important to me. When we were at Mayo with the laptop that was loaned to us for the trip, it was so difficult for me to type on it. My hands are numb sometimes in the finger tips. Winter is worse than Summer. And I have the Rheumatoid Arthritis in my hands. I really like the idea of a full size keyboard.

I've sat too long. Hope this is some help in the questions you are asking.
Billye

My friend sells her jewlery on her blog through some other site that sells different things. Its realy cool if you want to look at it for ideas.

Don't they make Big screen, lightweight notebook kind of things?

I would imagine that they all don't have to weigh a lot, right???

And maybe someday when you hit the lottery, you can get something like voice recognition software, where you just talk at the screen and it types all by itself. I saw a Christopher Reeve movie with just such a thing.

They have miniaturized everything technological and they even have a small computer (fully functional) that you can hold in your hand.

I just got this off the internet:

"The smallest handheld computer is the Psion Series 5, which weighs twelve ounces including batteries. It has a touch-type keyboard and a touch sensitive screen."

My goodness, a 12 oz computer. What's next!!!!!

Mel

Billye,

Just so you know - you will not be getting a full size keyboard with your computer. I am not aware of any notebook that has that. It will be a roomier keyboard as compared to many other notebooks. You can plug in a full size keyboard, but of course you can't take out the keyboard that is already in place.

I am assuming you want the notebook so that you can have some mobility with it in the house. It sounds like if that mobility wasn't that important, you might be better off getting a small desktop. Then you can get the keyboard and monitor size you really want. Not to mention that they are cheaper -- you always pay a premium when things are packed into a smaller package.

Anyway, still assuming the notebook . . . it would be nice to check to make sure your current printers and scanners are supported sufficiently under Vista. Perhaps your hubby has already checked . . . if not, you can post the models here, and I will check.

As to that Sceptre monitor - - is it a CRT or LCD? You can tell because the CRT is the old-style - big and bulky, while the LCD is slim. Initial checking seems to indicate that the resolution of your Sceptre is higher than the Toshiba (unless it is a CRT and you have changed the resolution - you can do that on CRT's and not pay a penalty as with and LCD). So that would seem to bode well . . . that is, the letters on the Toshiba should be bigger and easier to read.

Aha - just remembered you did sort of post a model #. And I see that it is an LCD, 19". And yes the resolution on that is 1280 x 1024, which is higher than the native resolution of the Toshiba.

rafi