Was looking at netbooks as I just really want to surf the net and do simple stuff with it.
But have found a 2nd hand laptop – Dell Vostro 1000 for £150. Compared to the netbooks its got twice as powerful a cpu (amd 64 dual core), far better graphics chip (ati 1150). 15.4" screen rather than 10.1".
also has 120gb HD and 1gb ram.
Looks fugly, weighs a 1kg more and has a far shorter battery life (with a new battery)

But i'm not going to be carrying it round a college, school, uni, work. it'll be in a backpack going to a friends house or sat on the coffee table. It'll always (as far as i can see) be next to a plug socket. And I'm not shallow enough to worry about looks :p i've got a "hole through the downtube" trance!

Is this a good deal? Am i being silly thinking a netbook will be nicer?

£150 sounds fair enough for that but of course a new netbook will be nicer. I'd have the laptop but it sounds like you've got Iwantanewshinyitis though.

yeah a new netbook would be nicer and i think i'm looking for someone to say "snap out of it – look away from the shiny new stuff" and to truthfully say the laptop is a good deal.

If I can get a better laptop for cheaper then i probably won't bother with this.

The price difference can't be much. If you'd like the netbook then just get it, I'd say.

netbooks i'm looking at are £200ish, saw one i liked at £250…