so I have some bad news.... my laptop has just about run its course with low virtual memory. if i run it in safe mode it works like normal, but my wireless adapter goes out after a while so i might not be on as much anymore.

That stinks, Ben.

I wish computers were built to last, but sadly they're not.

They're built to last for a few months, when they become obsolete. It's quite ridiculous.

it actually did last a few years. it's a 2008 dell inspiron model with windows xp. it doesn't have a great graphics card but it performed well with my internet needs.

Benjanime wrote :

it actually did last a few years. it's a 2008 dell inspiron model with windows xp. it doesn't have a great graphics card but it performed well with my internet needs. -end quote

You can pick up a decent laptop pretty cheap at Walmart these days. They are sufficient for most internet use.

i know, they have acceptable prices. the only problem with my money these days go straight to bills and groceries. i moved back with my parents because they were having financial troubles. my stepdad blames himself for purchasing the house because the mortgage followed by other bills hardly kept both him and my mom on their feet. so it might be a long while before i get another laptop.

You can always try your hand at winning the next article contest. It would likely cover the cost of a decent laptop.

If all you do on that machine is surf the web and other minor stuff you may as well just install Xubuntu directly on there. It's absolutely free and it's a heck of a lot more secure and stable than XP ever was. I'd go with Xubuntu instead of Ubuntu because it's more lightweight and may run smoother on a not-as-fast machine.

You'd be surprised how well Linux can run on older hardware that's clinging to life.

@vaporman87 i just might i'll see what kind of stuff churns inside the creativity bin of my brain.

@linux_sage i'd rather have an expert do that for me. i tried doing a linux install on an old psp and i left something out on the installation and my psp started making some crackling sound. i thought it was gonna explode.

I would imagine so. Installing Linux on a PSP is a much bigger challenge than installing it on a standard Laptop. That's a whole different beast. I'm sure Sony designed the system to make it harder for that sort of thing to happen. However when it comes to a standard laptop all you'd literally need to do is insert the install disc, boot from disc, follow the prompts, let the installation run, and boom you're done.