Actually I hav very good experience with Dell. We use it at work (a Fortune 100 company) and also at home. I am an engineer so am pretty demanding of a computer. I have a Dell laptop that I schlep around with me cross country under uninviting conditions and it keeps on plugging. Dell is what I would recommend to anyone except an expert who can shop around and is prepared to do their own maintenance / configuration.

I am curious that you think it has a bad rep. Where are you getting that from?

Anita *and I do NOT work for Dell! :-) *

Wish I could help.. 3 mice down with Dell and 21" monitor and they couldn't find our 3 year warranty?...What next?Nice when it and ISPs do operate/work though...

Sorry..I'm not working too good either!We have GateWay,not Dell.

As I understand it ALL new computers come with Vista. Need to find an independent 'geek' store that has some pre-Vista models.

I have a 2 yr. old Dell with XP and have no trouble. My son got a Dell with Vista last year and likes it.

You may have to go the way of an independent store to get XP, but be careful, as my neighbor found out the hard way that they sometimes put in a bootleg copy of Windows and you can't get the updates.

Julie

Boy , did we have a time with the local office store. Bought a new computer........... was told that it was in the warehouse , would be there in 1-2 days.

Then they were not able to find it. Was a good little girl and waited . Got tired of calling them and gave them a deadline that it the thing wasn`t in the next day, we were getting our money back and going somewere else.

Surprise ! it was in the next day. I think I am too nice for my own good LOL

D`Ann

D'Ann..Good for you!We are still waiting..again! And I don't think it's going to end up pretty.