This! Wearing them myself for the last 30 years and have had the same issues with insurance. The only thing I have ever been able to do is write them off with taxes as a medical expense and/or using a Flex/Cafeteria program if my employer has one.

Sadly this is true. I really only use NewEgg like Best Buy now, just to see what are the different options. My last two tech purposes have been done on Amazon. Better price and quick delivery and usually get some deal (free delivery, etc). Also if I have an issue, they are way easier to deal with.

I have had friends do this (and myself to a degree) and it can open doors you didn't know you had. Also join some local user groups (like I joined my local VMware User Group) and made a lot of good contacts, one even got me a job when I just got RIF.

Plus you would have the fact that the Genius squad would go ninja on your ass if they saw you doing it. Genius squad justice!

I love the fact that my Netbook came with a recovery CD, but there is no drive built into the thing. Yes, I can burn the CD onto a bootable USB thumb drive, or find a CD drive I can hook up via USB, but it is still a pain if I ever wanted to go back to factory defaults for whatever reason. I couldn't imagine dealing with something like that with my Dad or relatives that are barely computer competent.

Or just go to http://lite.facebook.com

Just status updates, no games, polls, etc...