BD, I think that if you use the 'Contact GW' link at the bottom of the main page, your request will get to the right people. I don't think that they peruse this place much (if at all) unless someone points outs something in a specific link.

OK, Zep. You've got the banana care nailed! A couple of ornamental (you don't want to eat the fruit, because it's full of seeds) varieties can survive in cold areas, like here in NY, with that kind of care. Edible varieies, around here, have to come inside for the winter. Now to the subject at hand: I got nowhere with the Creative link. I just got an error, HTTP 404 Not Found. When I clicked on, "Publisher: Creative", I got to a place where there were so many of these things that I didn't know which one was the right one. At the Gateway link, they asked for the serial number. (0016653113) When I gave them that, and clicked on a few other things that they told me to do, I got this instruction: "Insert System Restoration Kit Drivers CD in the System Restoration Kit Window." I found the System Restoration CD, and I guess there's really only one place I can insert it. On the disc itself, it says to reinstall some old Windows operating systems, start the PC with the disc inserted, and to install system software and drivers, insert the disc while the PC is on. So, I guess I start up the PC, and put the disc in. If I remember correctly, from the few times I have used any restorations, long ago, you restore to a certain date. A date, when I still had sound, was before I took the 'puter in for service. If I restore to a date like that, while restoring my sound, am I not also restoring the problems that prompted me to take the machine in for service, in the first place?

If it has the same type of connector on its cord that hooks to your computer... it'll work. There's two real popular connectors, one being digital, one the old standard CRT VGA connector which is on most monitors. There's also a few other types but they are not real popular but you gotta look at it. Most Thrift shops, I would think, would likely take it back if it doesnt work for ya.

The main difference (originally) between "television" and "monitor" is a television has a built-in tuner to select broadcast and/or cable channels from a coaxial cable, and a monitor does not. A monitor simply accepts a video signal (composite, S-video, component) and displays it. Channel selection must be done via an external device such as a satellite tuner or a VCR. My 4-year-old Panasonic plasma panel would be considered a monitor. It does not have a coaxial input or a tuner. I selected channels (when I had cable) by using my VCR as a tuner. However, nowadays most all consumer-level display devices / televisions / monitors DO have a built-in tuner, so "television" vs. "monitor" may simply be a marketing term. Just make sure whatever units you are considering have a built-in tuner and can take whatever kind of wire or cable connection you have, and make your choice on which one fits your budget, has the features you want, best picture quality, etc.