New Newbie Needs assistance please

[Marlene4]

Greetings All and Happy Holidays,
I would like to buy a refurbished Mac.
I've been reading lots of information, which is incomprehensible to me.
I don't need anything fancy, my main reason for buying a mac is that it is supposed to be superior when it comes to anti virus stuff (See I told you, for me, "stuff" is a technical term
I don't do anything fancy, web surfing basically. However, I'd like to use the computer in the ESL class that I teach. I will also be buying a projector.
I just need a solid computer that can also burn cd's
I realize that this not a great deal of information; I've been looking on Amazon and Ebay, but as I said, just don't speak the lingo.
Is there anything I should avoid? Is it possible to purchase a refurbished computer with windows software, or is that a separate purchase?
Is it possible to get a solid computer for under $400?
Thanks So Much for any Assistance you can Lend.
Cheers!
Marlene

 

[honestone]

Hi Marlene, and welcome to this "place"! I am positive you will be able to get quite a lot of good advice here.

I can contribute a couple of thoughts. First, unless the Mac already has Windows on it (there are a couple of ways of doing that with a Mac), in most instances, there will only be the Mac Operating System (OS) on the machine, along with various applications.

Secondly, while it is "basically" true that Macs are less prone to viruses, if and when you purchase the machine, you will still need to be careful. Don't worry, it will just take some common sense. But, in case you get "bit" by a virus, there are tools you can use to get rid of them.

Third, the critical thing is that you do backups on a frequent basis. That will definitely save you a lot of headaches. But, you'll need an external drive to be able to do that. And, there are a couple of ways to create backups. One is free, and the other approach will require the purchase of software (either $28 for SuperDuper!, or $40 for Carbon Copy Cloner).

As for purchasing a refurbished machine for under $400, and that can perform at least two of the functions you need it for (using it for your ESL class, and one that can burn DVDs/CDs), that could be a challenge. I have never purchased a refurbished Mac, and until recently, besides doing basic things like EMail and surfing the web, I no longer require a machine that can burn DVDs/CDs (I actually have an external DVD drive that I can use for that purpose).

I'm sure some other folks here will offer additional comments/advice, etc. Please feel free to ask anything.

Again, welcome!

 

[Marlene4]

Thank You Honestone!
I've seen some machines for around that price on Ebay and on Amazon. Since I have just basic needs, I thought that might be doable.
Thanks so much for your welcome
Cheers!
Marlene