Been reading this one & thught I should mention: You can get a fine used laptop at the Flea at MIT. Every third Sunday from Apr to Oct, starts at 9 AM, at a parking garage behind MIT. Google it. A fairly new Thinkpad (ie 600X model) might cost 250 to 300. Dells are cheaper. There are even AC outlets to check them out. Hot, humid July and Aug times have good prices. A hot, humid, rain day is best. The garage is covered. Lost of ham radio & electronic flea markets exist in the NE area during the warmer months. A list of them is run by the fellow that runs the Flea at MIT. Google W1GSL for it. Jim U. jim at nationalwireless.com