I went to Staples last week and bought a very nice HP desktop computer with Windows 7 for $479, and then they gave me $50 trade-in for a junk computer. It will be used in at the Women's Center where I volunteer, and I expect it will work very well for about five years. I make higher demands on my computers at home, so I buy better computers and they last me only three years (and then have a second life in a worthy home).

To me, spending $500 every 3-5 years makes a lot more sense than spending much more for a top-of-the-line computer that won't really last much longer.

The only brand I've been thrilled with is Sony Vaio, although my five-year-old Toshiba laptop is still very good to me. But most of the major brands are pretty good. I wouldn't say "don't ever buy such-and-such," except for some of the cheaper brands.

-Joe-