New (to me, anyway) Laptop

My friend Dave Slater was getting rid of some old computer equipment and gave me an old IBM Thinkpad running WinXP. It's my new game-master's screen, as it has one advantage my old Toshiba laptop didn't have. The screen swivels around so I can use it to show my players images. Previously I had to turn my whole laptop around, which was inconvenient. Now, I just have to get rid of the programmes cluttering up the HDD, so I can have more memory available. Currently I'm only running the Chrome Browser, and have no plans to clutter it up with a lot of software, but I'd like to free up more space to keep a library of game book .PDFs on it.

How much memory does it have?

Not a lot. It's got 18.6GB, but I have only 6.6GB free, so Dave's going to have to help me weed out the HDD. I don't use the touch-screen or pen interfaces, so I think I can scrap all that. I'm not using the Wifi at all, so I can dispense with a firewall programme. I'll keep AVG on it, since I use USB to transfer files and you never know what little nasties may be hiding inside a file. I'm using it strictly as a GM's screen, so I don't need word processors, and if I could figure what programmes depend on IE, and they're nothing I need, I'll delete IE as well. Chrome is already on it, and the Fox-it .PDF reader, as well as a text-based HTML editor for updating character pages. I do all my graphics on my other machines so I don't think I need any graphics software. That and WinSol, of course - I need my Solitaire... :)

But I do love that swivel monitor - so-o-o handy!

I wonder if there's anything to make it looks like a LCARS interface for interactive handouts...

I don't know about that, but I've set my desktop image to look like an LCARS standby screen.

That swiveling screen sounds great, if the idea is to show things to the player :)

As it will only be used without an Internet connection, it won't matter much that it's not possible to get any new security updates for XP.

Perzackly. The swivel screen was the ultimate deciding factor in adopting it. If it doesn't work in practice, nothing ventured nothing gained I always say. Besides, the price was right, and it's a lot smaller and lighter than my existing laptop, AND has a working battery. I'm getting tired of only being able to use my laptop when I'm in range of an outlet..