A neighbor (who I don't know) is moving and selling a Gateway 2000 notebook with the above specifications and a 120 MHz processor. Let's say I do believe it is in fine condition, and it has never been on the Internet at all and doesn't even have such software installed. She's selling it (with an old HP "portable" Deskjet printer, which unfortunately I don't need but know someone who does) for $125. Claims it was over $3,000 new, in 1996. It's "loaded" with programs, but not much I really need or don't already have, and they're all obviously somewhat outdated now. I'd like to have a portable unit so that I can move around in my apartment while surfing and sometimes doing word processing (long cords don't bother me, so I don't care a lot if it runs well on the battery), and also as an emergency stand-in for the other old beast of a desktop that I am currently using. My question is, could this notebook be tolerable on the Internet? Maybe if I remove everything except what I need (preferably Word, Adobe Acrobat, Winzip and my ISP software)? I currently must use a 1996, 32 MB RAM, 233 MHz, Win 95 PC on the Internet and it's definitely not great, but I can deal with it. Would the notebook be a lot slower than that even? I'd like to upgrade it to Win 98 too, but assume that may be just too much. Given the basic info provided here, do you think the price is reasonable? I know there's not much to go on but any opinions would be appreciated. :^ )

You probably would not notice any speed difference between the laptop and your PC. The phone line and modem is the main speed limiter for web use. I would suggest checking to see if it will operate from AC with a dead or missing battery. Laptop batteries can be quite expensive.

Also, I suspect that it might not have a built in modem. Take that into account.

If I were you Spoc I wouldn't touch that lappy with a diseased dog. You quite correctly state that the system you run now at 233mhz is not great so imagine the slowness with a laptop half that. As a brit $125 equates to around £65-70 I wouldn't look at, (for a laptop) anything under £150 And I would just laugh at the one your neighbour is offering. But of course it's up to you. Wolfey On a hot summers night would you offer your throat to the Wolf with the Red Roses?

I was going to ask if that was a typo or not. If the processor is actually a 120Mhz that machine probably isn't capable of going on the internet. I recently gave memory away to a friend that I originally paid $900 for when a 133Mhz machine was state of the art. The memory can now be had at computer shows for $5/10 stick.

I wouldn't give more than $60 for it if it works. Unless you really want a laptop. $125 is half way to building yourself a decent pc. Sure it will get on the internet. I got a 133mhz laptop with 40mb of ram that works on dialup and broadband. You will have to keep temp internet files cleaned after every use on the net to keep it from filling your hd. ASUS A7V8X AMD XP 2700+ 2.17ghz 768mb ddr 2700 128mb FX 5200 WD 80gb DVD R/RW

Thanks all, once again you've given me things to consider that I wouldn't have thought of myself. Now I know I won't even think about buying it unless she gets desperate (she's moving overseas, must lighten her load) and drops the price waaaaaaay down. ESPECIALLY if it has no internal modem -- without one it wouldn't be worth much at all to me. I didn't even look to see if it had a telephone jack thingee. She said she didn't know if it had enough "memory" to be on the Internet and I thought she was just wrong, but maybe she was mixed up and meant the processor or the modem. It does have a PCMIA port (I'm wrong on the spelling there, but you probably know what I mean), which seems strange to me if it can't go on the internet, but maybe I just don't know what else they're used for. Oh well, she said I could take it for a couple days and try it. If it has a modem and she'll drop the price, maybe I'll tell her she'd need to let me alter some things -- install ISP software and possibly remove programs to see what kind of speed I can get. I did notice on rebooting it that it took a long time and made funny noises, that was probably the feeble processor I assume. I could also really use a USB port for my external hard drive, and it doesn't have one. Soneone told her I could get an adaptor for the "SCSI" port it has, but I don't know if that's accurate. I have been told that Win 95 doesn't really support USB anyway. Ok, now I'm just rambling. Thanks again, guess I'll dodge this one unless it has a modem, goes online ok for me, and ends up costing me about $50!