Shopping Advice - Computer

Some questions I would ask him:
- What operating system are you familiar with? If I told you there was a better one, would you want to learn it or are you happy with what you have? What email program do you use?
- Do you want your printer to copy and fax also? Do you want to print off pictures? How many pages do you think you would print per week?
- How much desk space do you have? Does size matter (for computers) in terms of footprint and screen size?
- Do you want to travel with your computer?

He uses Windows and he wants to stick to it (Windows 7)
All he really does is email, but there are times when he uses the computer to read reports of meetings (sent to him on DVDs)
He has enough space for a 17-19" Monitor and he doesn't want anything bigger.
Today we discussed a printer and he is unsure if he wants one because he can print elsewhere (yes. I know) or as I said , he can sent himself an email and open it on the computer he uses at the place he consults for. So, no printer.
Today, I showed him an ad for a Dell gigabytes and 320 megs of Ram for about $600.00. He was very enthused.

I am looking for something like that but I want real quality.
Joe(zen-motorcycles-and so on)Nation

That sounds like the same Dell computer I ordered for BBB when I moved to ABQ 2 years ago, except I ordered it with XP since that was what she was familiar with.

Your 80 year old man's needs are a little more basic than BBB's since she surfs the web and posts on forums like a fiend, but they probably have similar difficulties learning new technologies at their ages. If you can keep it mostly to what he already is familiar with, that will help you both a great deal.

We haven't had any problems with the computer and it will probably last her for a good portion of the rest of her life. Hopefully, we'll have to update it several more times between now and then.

I added a laser printer for an extra $100. The laser printer works best for her because the powdered ink doesn't tend to dry up between spradic uses like those in an ink jet printer.

Thanks. I've always had laser in favor of ink jet for that very reason, but never knew if it was valid. With my laserjet 1020 at $100.00, there was no reason to test the theory on an ink jet.

Thanks, everyone. Laser printer, check.. if he ever changes his mind.

Going to go shopping today.
Joe(try not to buy something for myself)Nation

You might want to consider an all-in-one type machine. Look here for examples.

I do not like All-In-Ones because the timing in the use of each application is not technical equally. They always collpase after an intensive use.