Date: 03/19/07 (Computer Help)    Keywords: no keywords

a friend of mine is looking for a laptop and i have been recruited to be the one to pick it since i have a pretty good working knowledge of computers. i have up until this point avoided vista because of the problems i keep hearing about being it. also the person i'm buying a computer for doesn't know much about computers at all and i don't know how much of a learning curve vista has. on top of all this, i have been asked to get rid of the crap on the computer when it comes in and put in some good essential stuff (avg free, zone alarm, irfanview, office, etc) and i don't know how well these programs will work on vista if they work at all.

the problem is i'm coming up short on finding computers that don't have vista preloaded and i'm not crazy about downgrading a brand new computer to xp. so i'm either looking for advice about vista or where to buy a cheap laptop (new) with xp still loaded on it. i've been looking on newegg and tigerdirect and there are a few but not a ton. she wants a 17" monitor which is complicating the issue.

thanks for the help!

updated: i guess i should add that she wants to spend less than $1000 if at all possible. thanks again!

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computer_help/760505.html