Vista or EMachines?

But, as described in the opening statement, I bought a works word processor already, for about $43.

This is a good opportunity for me to mention that I hate Vista. As has been pointed out, it is entirely too "helpful." I can't afford to change it out, but I cn complain all I like. Windows ME and Vista. Pure crap.

There are a number of ways to de-helpful-ize Vista and streamline the Vista desktop just as there are in XP. Are you comfortable / familiar with this sort of thing and are you willing to dig-in a bit?

I am so unhandy that way, that I have a propensity for screwing it up when I try such things.

That's where my wonderful suggestions of a complete mirror of your existing hard drive via the data backup program called "Acronis True Image Home" and a USB external hard drive to complement it, allows you the complete confidence to royally **** everything right up………..and then return it to the way it was with zero blood pressure issues!

It's like getting in the worst car crash imaginable knowing you can turn back the hands of time and try it again and again until you get it right!

I think I would like to try it, but, I better wait until there's more time - Like Saturday afternoon or evening.

backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup
backupbackupbackupbackupbackupbackup

Keyboard's stuck, chumly.

The $43 dollars is irrelevant. Open Office is much much better than Works as far as feature set, ease of use, support for different formats and even stability.

Open Office is competing (and doing quite well) against Microsoft Office. Works is a crippled, scaled down and cheap version of Microsoft Office.

If you are completely happy with the limited features and crappy performance of Works, then so be it.

But Open Office really is far superior.

I'm one of those beaten down souls that make do with what's readily available.

I have to admit, that as much as I love technology, I often see more time and effort put into the facilitation of said technology than the presumed benefits garnered!

Agreed. If I could have found a decent typewriter to use, I might have waited another ten years before buying a first computer

I'll be a lone voice against the Open Office. I don't like it and for someone like Edgar I think it's unnecessarily too complicated, often it does what it wants and it takes some tinkering with until one gets used to it. I wasn't impressed with graphics or user friendliness. I must say I love the MS Office 2007, especially the style sets and design options (I use a lot of that).
Vista...while I don't mind the 'helpfulness' of it, (I actually like how it handles, say, image files, or the search function), but I hate hate hate how slow it runs. It just eats up all the temporary memory

My new word processor actually works more conveniently than it did on my last computer, which used windows 98. I am perfectly happy, now. I don't have to go the extra step of moving a project to Documents. It stores it right on the starter page, Type away, click save and forget it. What could be more simple.