How to keep your provincial superior or economer from buying the wrong computer.

1. You need to ask them what they want it for. Writing letters? Books? Play games? Balance the checkbook? Keep the ol' Christmas card list? Surf the Internet? Write programs?
2. Then tell them what applications can do that. Some, like AppleWorks, Lotus, or MicroSoft Office, can practically do it all.
3. Get them to try some out, and pick the ones they (you) like. Meanwhile, you're researching the cool stuff.
4. Then tell them to choose an operating system and machine that will run those applications. Most of the time the OS comes with the machine, but you definitely need an OS. You will live with it, bless or curse it, more than any other program on your -- uh, their machine.
5. Then find out where to buy a machine with that OS. If you do it right, you can even get the applications from the same store, plus your printer, modem, etc.
6. Find out where to get that machine repaired if necessary.