Wow, I don't think I've heard the word 'outer since my grandmother used it in the 90's. Word of advice to Mary2e... If someone wants to sell you a 'puter, go to another store!

I do highly recommend any mid-range Lenovo or Dell. They are solid machines overall. You can get a decent Lenovo ThinkPad that will last you for years to come at a decent price.

Edited to add: If you are a number pad user, keep that in mind when choosing a model. If you use it plenty, you'll miss it if you don't have it. They sell external USB ones, but its just another thing to carry around.