I bought my new laptop in April and have not been able to get online, except by an "unsecured connection" and that is really not dependable. I don't have a lot of money, so buying the computer was a pretty major purchase for me, but this is a kick-butt system with a new I-3 dual core processor–whatever that means. The problem I've been having is in setting up internet service. I tried to go with DSL with the phone company and after getting the run-around from them for 4 weeks from tech support and customer service, I am really angry and frustrated with the whole ordeal. I called the cable company that serves our area and they offered me a pretty good deal for bundling our phone and internet–$60/mo. for phone and internet together. And they're supposed to come install my internet on Tuesday. The phone company first told me I could and would get DSL at home. There were several times the technician was supposed to come to the house to do whatever it is they do and never showed up. I spent 3 hours per night on the phone with tech support for about 5 nights and I'm just fed up with it all. They finally told me I couldn't get DSL here on Friday of this week because  I'm too far away from the hub where the internet comes from by 3 miles. I have decided to go with the cable company's offer. It's either cable or dial up and I sure as heck don't want dial up. Anyhow, to make a long story shorter, my mother (I live with her) wanted me to get my very critcal and negative brother's opinion on all this. I didn't want to, but to make her feel better I called him this morning. He told me he didn't know anything about computers and the internet, which I figured because I had to help him with setting his computer up. He was just so negative about me doing all this and it made me mad. I am 38 years old and I'm paying for the internet with my own money. I don't tell him what to do with his money and he really shouldn't tell me what to do with mine. He is such a jack ass! He kept trying to make me feel guilty about not giving every dime of my money (that I got from school in the form of a grant) to my mom. I gave her what I could–$200–to help her pay her bills and whatever she wanted to do with it. But of course, that wasn't good enough. I can't please my brother and I'm tired of trying. I wish I could stand up to him, but he has such a problem with anger I am afraid of him. He treats me like I'm stupid and even tells me so. He thinks that because I have "mental" problems that I'm crazy or retarded and don't know how to do anything. I don't have enough sense to come in out of the rain according to him, even though I am in college working on 2 degrees and taking care of my mom whose health is not good. None of this–dealing with the phone company or dealing with my brother–is helping my depression. If anybody can help me with my computer issues, please let me know. I think my brother is beyond help.