Free PC
I have an ancient PC and am considering obtaining a more modern one. Do you have a view on the free computer offered by www.metronomy.com?
John Farrall

Jack Schofield replies: Metronomy is offering free PCs in exchange for using the PC for at least 30 hours per month and watching one minute of advertising every 20 minutes on the PC screen. You must also have an internet connection. The proposed system is an IBM machine - IBM is the world's biggest computer company - with three years IBM warranty. The specification is at the low end of today's PC standards, with a 2.4GHz Intel Celeron, 256MB of memory and a 40GB hard drive, but it is more than adequate for normal purposes. The website says: "Metronomy's consumer launch takes place early 2004 and the first PCs will not be delivered until February/March." It remains to be seen how Metronomy will choose its users, and whether it can create a viable business.

Which XP?
I intend buying a laptop soon, but I see you recommend XP Pro rather than XP Home. Why? Keith Chambers

JS: XP Pro is more secure and offers more networking features than XP Home at what may be little extra cost, for pre-installed versions, depending on where you shop. Of course, whether the extra features have much value depends on your needs, though XP Pro outsells XP Home. Microsoft has a list of the differences between the two versions at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro, but there is a better discussion at Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows at www.winsupersite.com.

Time to upgrade?
I understand that Microsoft will cease support for Windows 98 early this year. Can you recommend the best way to keep it up to date and secure? Should I now consider upgrading to Windows XP? Geoff Cadman

JS: Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 98 and Windows 98SE on January 16, though "self-help" online support will continue until at least 2006. But all DOS-based products, from Windows 3 to Windows Me, are obsolete, and there are diminishing returns for Microsoft in providing free support for five-year-old products with no future. Business users should already have upgraded to Windows NT/2000/XP, which has been out for a decade. Home users probably will not be greatly affected.

A free program such as Grisoft's AVG will deal with viruses. Any further security leaks are more likely to appear in Internet Explorer and related programs, which are not specific to your version of Windows. These will continue to be fixed. Microsoft says it will also consider fixing any serious security breaches in Windows 89/SE. Since Windows 98 still runs on about 25% of the installed base, this is likely.

IE problem
The new behaviour of IE6 is driving me potty. It now scrolls down twice when you click in the scroll bar. It has been introduced with the latest security patch but there is no official reference to it on the Microsoft website, except in the community newsgroups. Sally Bean

JS: It is a bug, though it is not clear how many systems are affected. Until Microsoft corrects it, the only way to get rid of the problem is to remove the security patch. This is probably listed in Add/Remove Programs as Internet Explorer Q824145. Workarounds are being discussed in the newsgroup, microsoft.public.windowsupdate.

AOL blocks
I think I'm not alone in experiencing problems receiving email with AOL. Over the past few months, several people have told me their email to me is being returned, or that they are sending me email which I'm not receiving. I have reported this via AOL's online help facility several times. They say the problem is being caused by the attempt to filter out spam. Changing to another ISP might be a possibility, but it is not possible to export the AOL contacts database, so involves a lot of work. I am, of course, still getting liberal amounts of spam. Maxine Linnell

JS: AOL is taking a hard line on blocking spam. It also seems to be blocking some amount of legitimate mail, but since you can't see what is blocked, you can't tell. All you can do is, as AOL says, ask people to send copies of their blocked mail to their ISP, and ask them to take it up with AOL. However, since AOL does not offer or officially support standard internet email services - it has its own proprietary system - then I think your best course is to switch gradually to a separate POP3 email service, such as HotPop, or a paid-for service. That way you can use your own preferred email program and address book, which will make it easier to switch ISPs in the long run.