IF you haven't got a computer in this modern age you're officially classified as a dinosaur.

How can you communicate properly with your network of friends on Facebook? You won't be able to show everybody the video and stills that you caught on your mobile when you were partying in Ibiza.

And forget about reading the column on the right of this page because you won't be able to access any of the freebies and discounts.

Before you dash down to PC World to be confused by the massive array of hardware, ask yourself how you plan to use your new toy.

Games, photos, videos and a few other little things take up a lot of room on a computer and you'll need a hefty amount of space on your hard drive.

If you're planning to use it as a home business tool, you might want a fast processor to help with multi-tasking.

When emails and surfing the internet are the main drivers, your system will need to have a modem of sorts and either a wireless or fixed connection.

Enough said — write the list and work out what you think you need. Then take it down to the computer shop and ask one of the technical people what specifications that they think would suit best.

Have a look at the kit but don't buy it then and there.

If cost is a major factor, you could do worse than check out what's up for grabs on eBay. True to say that the Avenger clocked a refurbished Pentium III for only £28.

But it's safer to see what you're getting and make sure the thing works.

PC World sells good refurbished desktop computers which can save you big bucks on the cost of a new model. At last look, the company had a refurbed EI system with an Intel processor and 250Gb hard drive for only £149.

Sounds good but there's no really useful software on the machine.

No problem since there are places on the net that offer shareware or heavily discounted software. One of the best and biggest is at www.tucows.com.

Microsoft Office, perhaps the most commonly used suite of programmes, will set you back the best part of £500 for the full version.

Check out www.studentcomputers.co.uk for some nice deals that will cover all the ends. As an example, the company has a refurbished IBM Thinkpad T40 up at £257.33.

The price is a bit steeper but it has all the necessary bells and whistles.

And it comes with a full suite of software that includes antivirus, antispyware and an office lookalike!

But you want a free laptop? Go to Currys and sign up for Mobile 3's mobile broadband for 18 months and take your free laptop home.