Hi,
My #2 home-office computer is an obsolete but still useful 450 MHz PC
with Windows XP. It has "crashed and burned" (software wise!) and I
have to put it back together again after an XP reload (I think I'll
rename in Humpty Dumpty!)

Can anyone point me towards a good computer forum where I can get
advice on free or shareware software and other IT help? I've not
found a Usenet group that does this.

I need to get the following software types installed on the #2 PC
right away and need some recommendations:
1. Word Processor (I will mostly use MS Wordpad with .rtf files as I
don't do clever formatting, also Openoffice WRITER is an option for
when I'm sent MS Word files.) But my wife still need a way to open
obsolete Wordperfect files (not sure our decade-old Corel Wordperfect7
CD will load under XP.)
2. Spreadsheet (OpenOffice CALC will suffice - it opens .xls and .123
files)
3. Presentation grahics (liker Powerpoint, which I can't afford.)
Openoffice has IMPRESS - I've just made it work with a .ppt file,
that's a step forward!
3. Business card software recommendations (a Google search brings up a
lot of trial ones - which is best?)
4. IE for Internet (on XP CD)
5. Email - all on Rogers-Yahoo webmail so no problem.

Anyway, rather than burdon the good people here, is there a Windows XP
forum I can join to discuss all these questions?
Thanks and cheers,
Roger