WordPad doesn't count by today's standards. Screenshot of Writer

Online banking doesn't count because you use Firefox to do that. People either use a spreadsheet like Calc or a fully fledged application like Sage.

IM: Pidgin

Youtube is watched in a browser (Firefox)

Solitaire (actually called Klondike) Spider is included among the 80 similar games.

Above all, all are free.

That's what I thought and also why even a Chromebook may work for you.
The old machine gets revitalised and will run nearly twice as fast. It'll do for a while yet.

Yes you would but presumably you have that?

Nothing wrong with that. I have WiFi and choose not to have it on.

ISP = Internet Service Provider

CompuServe was probably dial-up and Verizon probably supplied you with a router. If you are just using a USB modem, there will likely be issues, no matter what you try to connect to it these days. In short: you need to find out what it is that is plugged in to both your phone line and your computer. Name and model number would be best.

I don't use text much these days. I did when it was new though.

LOL

If you do just have a USB modem, these are not really used these days and give inferior performance. There is every likelyhood that drivers for a more modern operating system just do not exist. Verizon may upgrade you for free or a nominal fee. Worth checking out first.

Yeah, if that is your issue, I hope the upgrade this week resolves it. I was hoping for an easy resolution and that might just be it.

Do all Chromebooks lack Ethernet connectors? Or would a USB to Ethernet adapter serve Sally's purposes for being able to connect?

I missed out on the USB modem part. Yeah, those are obsolete except in cases where dial-up is the only option.

It's easy and cheap to have WiFi. Plus, you don't need any software to connect. The only software that might (or might not) be necessary is setup software for the WiFi device. And that only has to be installed on a single computer.

update, i got onto the site i tried the other day. ff did not crash.
fingers crossed.

Glad to hear the issue appears to be resolved.

I think perhaps anything non-Windows may be out of your tech's comfort zone.

What I have been trying to say is that you do not need Windows because you do not really take advantage of anything it has to offer other than built-in games. Then if you do not use Windows, you are not as prone to malware, hence no resource hogging security software. If you do not have Windows, you will not have Windows bugs (bugs like this rarely exist with other Operating Systems). If you do not have Windows, you will not have borked updates.

Understand? Windows is more of a millstone around your neck and as it is not needed, why bother carrying all that around with you? Not only is is simpler, it is much more efficient and costs less.

If you were able to simplify enough to a ChromeBook, you would not have the boot time (near instant start) and a system that is always up to date without you having to do a thing or be inconvenienced.

Against the ChromeBook though is if you wanted to install graphic editing software.

Don't get me wrong, a shiny new laptop is nice. It just does not have to run Windows. If it is Windows 8, it is going to be quite a change for you and you may not like it.

On the other hand, you still have a working computer there, which will become insecure to use. You could throw a Windows 7 license at it - if the hardware will support Win7 - but inevitably it will be slower and from an age point of view it could fail at any time. How much is the lowest level of Win7 these days? $120? $150?

In your situation, changing it over to Linux makes the most sense.

Whatever you buy would be a matter of choice then and in addition to what you have.

By its nature, a Windows laptop is not likely to be hugely better than your current desktop from the point of view of performance.

Add that up and you will love the portability of a laptop but begin to enjoy your desktop machine more than you have for a long time.

OK.

Well, 7 is better than 8 for you but I stand by everything else.

So, Firefox 27 is still being a problem. This may not be related to TrendMicro then. I need to take some time to write instructions for something for you to try. We're grasping at straws here for now because we do not really know what the cause is. We know the symptom OK though.