To further confuse matters, a netbook is not a misspelled notebook. Netbooks (sometimes called mini notebooks or ultra portables) are a very popular and growing category of small, inexpensive, somewhat limited-use laptop computers, best suited for accessing Web-based applications. They are often marketed as "companion devices" to full-featured laptop or desktop computers.

As far as the pros and cons of desktops versus laptops, a desktop computer is usually less expensive and it is easier to replace or upgrade its components. On the other hand, a desktop PC is more difficult to move, and you can’t take it outside on a sunny day. Not easily, anyway.

A laptop/notebook computer is smaller, lighter, and flexible—not unlike Mr. Modem was 25 years ago. If you prefer a full-size keyboard or large monitor, you can easily connect them to a laptop and convert it to a quasi desktop, yet still have the flexibility of unplugging the monitor and keyboard (or docking station) for mobility, when needed.

A Maybe. How’s that for a definitive answer? If you and the recipient are both using Outlook, you may be able to retrieve a message. Realistically, the odds aren’t terrific that that’s going to be the case. Further, the message must be in the recipient’s Inbox, it must remain unopened, and you must have a garlic clove in your left pocket. Well, okay, no garlic clove, but there are some very specific conditions that must exist for this to work.

In the unlikely event the above conditions do exist, to retrieve a message, open your "Sent Items" folder, double-click the message in question, select "Recall this Message" from the "Tools" menu, then select "Delete Unread Copies of this Message."

To replace the retrieved message with a new one, select "Delete Unread Copies and Replace with a New Message" followed by OK, then type a new message.

If you want to know if your desperate attempt to recall your message was successful, select the box labeled "Tell Me if Recall Succeeds or Fails for Each Recipient."

When it comes to retrieving e-mail, I wouldn’t get my hopes up. Ideally, you won’t ever need to retrieve an e-mail that’s been sent, and hopefully never one sent in anger. My best advice is to never, EVER send a message written in anger. It’s fine to compose it, pound the keyboard, vent your spleen, but then save your vitriolic message and wait until the next day. Review it 18 or 24 hours later, and 99 times out of 100 you won’t want to send it and you’ll be very glad you didn’t.