Life is an adventure

Okay, I've got to brag. I was able to purchase a old cheap laptop through ebay from the public library where I worked. It cost aprox $60. It didn't have any operating system on it but fortunately I had an old Windows 98se disc that I was able to figure out how to load it up. I thought that I might be able to use it for word processing and etc. I got it to work well enough but didn't have a big need for word processing (yet anyways) but figured I could do *something* with it. Fast forward about 3 months and I install a DSL modem that is wired for the desktops and wireless for P and I was also hoping to use.
Through much trial and tribulation (and lovely useful computer help people in public forums), was able to figure out that I needed some additional drivers from the website of the laptop company, which I downloaded and installed. This helped with lots of stuff, but didn't get the wireless card that I had purchased ($40) to work. I returned the wireless card and figured I should figure out how to get the ethernet connection to work first. I couldn't for the life of me do it but remembered that where I work, they will work on your personal computer so I brought it in to them. The guy fixed it in the couple of hours between me dropping it off around noon and me picking it up at 3:45. I'm not sure what drivers I needed or what additional configuration he did, but the ethernet worked. He also updated windows and installed some internet protection thingies. He brought me over to the computer store (just next door) and I was able to purchase a new wireless card for $35. This I brought home with me and was able to install and get it working myself. Tonight I just figured out that I needed another driver for my jumpdrive to get it to work. And now it does ! So essentially for less than $100 I now have a fully functioning laptop computer. This makes me very happy.