Well, this became a CD-R thread cause I asked a question--but then, James sort of lead us into this one too, didn't he? Regardless, it has been helpful. I think we had sort of this same conversation before, some of us, in VT where everyone just about recommended against HP. That's all that's in any of the stores around here-well, and a few Sony's and some 'unknown' ones. I'm looking online--that's how I saved a bunch on my Wacom Intuos last year. Diane B