It's all about expectations. My financially challenged Aunt, needed a machine just for surfing the internet, nothing else. So an Acer was ok. She also knew that it would probably break in a couple of years, and she would have to get a new one. She has 7 grand-children who would be banging away on it when they visit so why waste the $$$. I surely wouldn't have recommended that she get a thinkpad for this situation/use.

__________________
You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.

Please tell us the source for the discounted Thinkpad?

try this link

http://www-131.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/st...0001&langId=-1

__________________

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it.
Autograph your work with excellence.

I wish I needed a new laptop.

http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?id=889558

Lenovo™ 3000 N100 (0768-DKU) 15.4" Widescreen Notebook Computer With Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology And Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5500
$649.99 after rebates

Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5500 operating at 1.66GHz

__________________

I am waiting until the new windows comes out.

Here is more reason to wait:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,12...1/article.html