Corinne wrote:
Thank you so much for this helpful info. I have received lots of good
advice, but don't want to bore this group with thanking each one
individually, so later I will send one to everyone together. Great
group, but you asked a question so I will try to answer it.

My computer is eight years old, and I love it. My thinking is that I am
still using Windows 98, and Microsoft (as you know) is no longer
offering free updates.

Several people have told me that this opens me up to getting viruses,
and thus, passing it onto others, which I definitely do not want to do.

My first plan was to purchase Windows XP Home Edition and install it,
but a friend told me this machine is not capable of doing that. Plus,
he felt it was a waste of money to purchase Windows XP HE when I could
buy a new machine with it already installed.

So, I am in the market for a new computer.

From what I have written, do you still think it is smart for me to hold
off for another year or so.

Thanks again.

Here's the basic deal; with computers, like cars, the longer you can
hold onto your old one, the more cash you save. At some point the old
one becomes unusable for one reason or another, including you are just
sick of it, and you have to buy a new one. buying it before you have to
is a waste, but like i said that includes just being sick of the old
one.

Of course, the difference is that a used car can be a good value, but
from what I've seen, people always have some hugely inflated opinion
of what their used computer is worth.