This started as a post to one of my favorite groups, and became much too looong. If you DO NOT believe that some day WebTV, as WE know it, is going to come to an end, then maybe this little brain strain will help guide and enlighten you: You may or may not hold that the "replacement" box for our WebTV/MSNTV is the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel, (I don't, but that doesn't matter). If and when it does all end, I think the transformation from our LBB to ....whatever is popular at the time, is gonna be a mess. Well, for most anyway. Why? Being prepared to make the transition is one reason. Some have already purchased a PC, some, the 'New Box', some have both, I think most have neither. If you are waiting for the "other shoe to fall" and then think the transition will be smooth and good, you are mistaken. There are a few options to consider, like: - Do you get a PC, MSNTV2 or BOTH? Which is going to be better for you? - How much of a computer do you need, and what do all those strange numbers and abbreviations mean. - Buying a new or used PC. - Learning how to prepare, protect, care for and use the 'beast'. - Where to get help in all PC matters. - How long is it going to take to LEARN about computers? - And the all popular: "Help! I don't know what to do next!" If and when *they* pull the plug on us, the News & Club Groups that many depend on, both to seek help in and willing to offer that help in, will NOT be there. Even how to find substitute News Groups will be a challenge for many. And Usenet is a whole different world for those green to it. Any 'puters I've seen, bought and used do not have a very good instruction manual, if ANY. Some might have how to hook it up, turn it on and maybe, the specs. A used machine most likely won't have any manual or paper work. There are also many books on the market, with high price tags, each claims to have *THE* easy way to learn from buying and reading. Some are good, others are not. Some are just TOO technical Some have more text than visual aids. I like: "Windows XP Simplified", about $25 at Office Max, lots of visuals. And, a great way to learn basic computer use and even much higher applications, are community workshops, Senior Centers, night schools, etc. And even if you can power it up, are you protected from all the viruses, worms, etc. that will try to attack your new or used machine? I forget who said this now, but it DOES fit: "....many computer problems are solved using WebTV". So, what can YOU do to help prepare for the supposed "End" and the transition? For starters, if you haven't already, you will need to study, read, and learn again. It might have taken you months or years to where you are now, on WebTV, some of that WILL help you, but there is plenty more to learn. I visit most of these groups everyday, and learn something myself each time: Here, are our 2 great computer groups: news:alt.discuss.clubs.public.internet.computers.gingerough_m news:alt.discuss.computers Here, is a nice group, friendly folks that have both WebTV (or did) and a computer: http://web-nuts.com/forum/ Here, is a link to Usenet, but be CAREFUL: http://www.harley.com/usenet/ To give you an idea of what to expect, this, is a Usenet group that bridges WebTV & PCs, but, NOT for the pure & innocent: news:alt.online-service.webtv Here, many MSN XP OS computer groups: news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.general news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware       news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize   news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.embedded news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.messenger news:microsoft.public.windowsxp.games Here, is mucho info on MSNTV2: http://community-2.webtv.net/saurkraut/ABOUT_MSNTV2/ And finally, info on some other groups: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm http://groups-beta.google.com/ http://users.rcn.com/kateshort/nnq/nnqlinks.html http://groups-beta.google.com/groups/dir?sel=33554433 There are MANY other groups, of course, I couldn't possibly include them all. I would suggest that you drop in, linger, read, investigate, even post and ask, but most of all, learn about what is ahead for you. Some of comments above are not mine alone, it would be nice if things went on, as is, UN-changed, but IMPROVED, in addition to what we have now, not just tossed away. But, I don't really think that is the way it will be..... Thanks for reading. Karl