First thing is to think about how you are going to use a computer. If all you do is surf the web, email, FB, a document or two, maybe a spreadsheet, you don't use Photoshop or any Windows programs you need to download, then you have at least 2 very good alternatives: Chromebook or Linux.
Let me explain:
Chromebook - Anything you do online, you can do on a Chromebook. You never get a virus, it does not bother you with the "Please Wait While We Download/Update" message. Updates are done in the background and install (without interference) when you reboot. The battery life is 8-10 hours, all you documents are backed up on the web. You can read Windows Word and Excel into Chrome and save them as as Docs and Sheets (and save them back, if you want). After 50 years of computer experience, I've been use the Chromebook for the past 10 for most of my computing needs.
Linux - This is a free and open source operating system. You can download it and use it for free, the version I use is Mint, which I feel is the most Windows-ish, so it's easy to learn. You can load it on most older computers and they will feel almost new. There a thousands of programs (most are free) that can replace Windows programs, like Photoshop with GIMP. It is as close to impossible to get a virus as getting hit by lighting and eaten by a shark at the same time. There are updates (like any good system), but it is up to you to run them (or not).
I'll be at the workshop at the Eisenhower Rec Center Monday, January 13th at 1PM. If you wish to see eiterh the Chromebook or Linux Mint.
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