If a laptop for you is a glorified CD/DVD player, go ahead and buy one of those glitzy popular models. For a serious computer, however, Thinkpad is hard to beat.
The T42 packs a large, clear screen along with all the needed ports and slots into a trim and respectably lightweight package. The machine is fast and capable. The TrackPoint device alone is almost worth the price of admission--especially at the very reasonable price of this refurbished model. Windows XP was an additional plus.
My only complaint is that battery life seems shorter than advertised for this machine, despite enabling its variety of useful power-saving features. It's likely, as is often the case with refurbished laptops, that the battery that shipped with the unit is already on the down-side of its lifespan.
Concerned about buying a computer from an overstock outlet? Don't be. The first machine we received had a touch pad button that didn't work and a slightly loose USB port. Overstock customer service immediately sent out a replacement plus a shipping tag for the return *and* a gift certificate for our trouble.