[Swordmaker]

By the time my first went to college a mere two years later she “needed” a new one for college.

The quotation marks around that word are appropriate. She doesn't "need" a new one, she "wants" a new one. A Mac that is upgraded through software only can last you years. My daughter is running a 1981 iBook with OS X Tiger. Although not as fast as a new Macbook, it is quite servicable for most things one does with a notebook computer.

[SunkenCiv]

a 1981 iBook? [rib, rib]