What brand laptop/computer do you have?

Toshiba - 7 years old, but a small problem with the screen it still works and stores a lot of info for me.

HP - 4 years old, but I knocked and broke the credit card input slot thingie and needed better usb ports. It also still works great and really takes a dropping.

Acer - 1.5 years old and works just as well as the others. It did have a screen problem they repaired quickly under warranty. I think I might have shut the screen with something on the keyboard. OOPS!

But I don't think that most of the newer ones are made as tough as my older ones were. Make sure you get in the habit of moving the screen with two hands and equal pressure on both sides. My advice is buy the newest/cheapest whatever you buy as it's old in 3 months. Kind of partial to the HP of the three. ;) My brief experience with someone else's Dell desktop made me never even consider buying one of their laptops. And I still (hopefully) have one on the way from the OLPC org from their give one get one program I'm going to play with a few months and give to a niece.

And I've used macs, but while they are much more compatible than they used to be... it's not really a mac world. I would be tempted though! Tough decision! Good Luck!

I'd forgotten I used to use an IBM for work. It was a pretty good laptop!

My next laptop though I'm going to buy whatever brand still has the 'nipple' mouse!!!!!!!! That to me is a key feature. If you learn how to use one of those it is SO MUCH FASTER to type and use!!! My Toshiba had that and the work IBM Thinkpad did too. I've missed it ever since.

I have a black Macbook and my partner has a custom Macbook Pro. In total there are 4 macs in the house and we live by them. But then we work with music and sound so for that purpose they're really the only option.

If you've not used a mac before the shortcuts can appear a bit of a mission as there's so many of them, but within a couple of hours you'll have picked most up and realize just how easy they make life!

We were both victim to the fatal hard drive crash by faulty drives that was reported in the news last year, but all the new computers are fine so you wont have to worry about that. Despite losing two hardrives and all our work we still swear by Mac... I'd never ever buy a PC again and I can honestly say that, I hate having to use them when I do have to and whole heartedly avoid it!

Edited to Add: The only issue I do have is that Apple can be difficult to work with when you have problems - they're hard to contact (no email addresses) and if you need to take it in to get fixed for anything you can bank on it taking at least a couple of weeks (longer if you live somewhere without an Apple store and need to send it through a stockist). Saying that though, problems with Macs are very rare in my experience, there's no threat from virus's which is a major plus, and when your system needs updating it does it automatically, so you never find your system slowing down.

I'm using a system I built myself: 3g RAM, 650g harddrive, 256 pci express graphics card, etc. etc. Not a bad setup, but nowhere near the best you can get.

I don't recommend Mac computers unless (1) you've used them before and know you like them and (2) you don't want to do much with your machine. Fanatics will glorify Macs and make them sound like God's gift to the computing world, but unless you're doing a few VERY select things with the computer, you're paying too much money for too little delivery. Only time I'd recommend an Apple is if you want to go heavy into video editing and production, and even then, Windows has some programs that tow the line quite nicely.

Honestly, if you want a solid machine that'll handle almost everything except intense gaming and graphics applications, check out something from Acer, or maybe a Dell XPS. Acer has some nice laptops for under $800 that can do quite a lot, and the XPS line from Dell is surprisingly nice.

Or, do what most smart users do and have someone build one for you. Or do it yourself. =)

You can use a site where you get one for free all you have to do is fill out an offer like flycell I just signed up then discontinued it before the bill kicked in then refer a couple friends then bam free laptop or mac here is the url.

http://www.notebooks4free.com/default.aspx?r=10231...

I have a Dell Inspiron 1501 laptop.

I have a Dell Inspiron 530s, which is brand new, excellent product

CCleaner is the best tool on the market to clean up your pc. Download here http://bit.ly/UrAyEQ

I have a Goffik PC... in other words, I built it myself. I'd never buy a pre-built rig.

I have an Acer laptop and pc.

dont buy Toshiba, the keyboard is easily broken