Christmas is approaching, so folks are asking me which computers to buy as gifts to place lovingly under the tree. It's a hard question, but I can make some general comments that will help everyone.

First, consider letting your loved ones select their own computer. PCs are not as personal a selection as, say, clothing, but there are some considerations, including keyboard and screen size. (I have large hands, and I simply cannot type on many keyboards because they are just too small.)

Deciding whether to go laptop or desktop is really harder today than ever before. Time was you had to go desktop for price and performance. Laptops were relegated to those who travel.

Today, laptops have large screens, great video cards and lots of RAM. There are even specialized gaming machines that you can take with you. They can get pricey, however.

Then there's the Mac and Windows decision. Once, this was a slam-dunk for Windows, given that there were far fewer software titles available for the Mac platform. Today, the decision is much harder. Today's Macs can, with a little software help, run Windows applications with surprising aplomb. The Apple hardware is a work of design and technical art, so if the receiver is into that kind of thing, then add that to the mix.

You'll pay a tad more for an Apple box, but not that much.

(And don't write me about Linux.)

Flat panel vs. normal monitor? If price is an option, go normal CRT. Because flat panels are all the rage, you can get a very large traditional monitor now for pennies. (Gaming performance is actually modestly better with traditional monitors, but not enough for normal humans to notice.) You'll need some desk space, though.

Buy the optical mouse vs. the normal kind with the ball on the bottom. A huge improvement for a very modest cost.

Never, ever buy the extended warranty.

In terms of Windows XP Home vs. Pro, I'd get Home. In terms of buying Microsoft Office vs. Works, get Works or Word Perfect unless you need access to applications such as Excel or Powerpoint. For home users, get the cheapest word processor. If you can skip it, you can use OpenOffice for nothing.

A CD burner is required these days. A DVD player is a nice add-on, especially for laptops. A DVD burner is worth it if you can afford it.

Where to buy? PC World (pcworld.com) has a new ranking of the best retail stores and those with the best and worst policies. Keep in mind that if you buy the gift too far in advance, make sure you get a written assurance that the return window starts on Christmas morning.

WEEKLY WEB WONDER: Earthcam has a new crop of live Web cams. Check them out at www.earthcam.com.

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James Derk is co-owner of CyberDads, a computer repair company, and a computer columnist for Scripps Howard News Service. His e-mail address is jim@cyberdads.com