Calling all computer geeks

We'd welcome an opinion or two.

The ole Toshiba laptop has begun to wheeze like an asthmatic in a cigar bar.

I thought it was the fan, but the Zigster seems to think it's the hard drive. I dunno what it is, but I have a feeling that the poor old (about 5 years) thing is circlin the drain.

It really has been a great computer. The only thing that's gone wrong with it is the DVD player thingy took a poop.

But I think the time has come to start thinkin about a new one. Thinkin about a new one is nice. Thinkin about tryin to transfer some of our crap into a new one, however...well...frankly, that particular little task gives me a bad case of the squirts.

So, aaaanywho, we don't need anything fancy. A desk top model this time, we think. No frills. No bells and whistles. Really, the only thing we use it for is email, blogging (of course) and photo downloading/storage. And I wouldn't mind having a DVD player thingy again, too.

So, what say you? Anybody got any suggestions/preferences as to brand?