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> Hi guys,
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> Long time no see.  I just thought I'd post an email (with a few omissions/modifications) that I just got finished sending someone in the group.  I'm sorry that it's so long-winded - but maybe, just maybe, there is a morsel or two in my autistic narrative that might be helpful to someone.  As I say in the email, I really regret not telling you guys about a laptop computer that I had known about for months that seemed relatively benign (at least to me).  What a big "D'OH" on my part.  I guess my "reasoning", if you can call it that - for not mentioning it is that I had sort-of dismissed it in my mind as an "el cheapo" brand computer that wasn't a viable long-term option.  But so far, this laptop is working for me - well, as much as a computer can "work" for someone with esens.  It might work for other eSens sufferers.  The email follows:
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> I just wanted to update you on my computer situation.  In February/March, I finally started making some moves on buying a new computer.  At first I bought an ASUS A52F-XA1 (15.6") laptop, but I returned it to amazon.com without even opening the box because when I later went to "test" the computer at Best Buy, it seemed like it would be pretty bothersome (I felt "forced" to make a quick purchase on amazon.com because it was showing one of those "Only 2 Left in Stock" type of messages).  Then, a  few weeks later, I took the plunge again; I was intrigued with ULV processors - so I bought an ASUS UL50-XA1 - this computer:
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> http://www.amazon.com/UL50AT-X1-Processor-Notebook-Windows-Premium/dp/B003DZCPL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1306059154&sr=1-1
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> Well, it was pretty bad!  I started feeling quite "fried" about as soon as I turned on the computer.  In many ways, it was considerably worse than the laptop that I was trying to get away from.  The low-power, "battery" settings made it somewhat better - but not "better" enough.  Within hours, I pretty much knew that it wasn't something I should keep - there just had to be something better.  The ultra-low-voltage 1.3 GHz SU7300 Core 2 Duo processor just didn't "do the trick" as far as making that thing a tolerable machine.  Oh, I still have faith that ULV processors can contribute greatly to a relatively pain-free computing experience - but in that particular computer, it wasn't nearly enough to make it eSens-friendly (at least based on my experience).  I guess this just reinforces the "theory" (or fact) that there must be a lot more involved in computer emissions than just the processor/graphics card.
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> (I was focusing on ASUS computers because I had read that they have one of the best track records as far as durability/reliability - Dell's poor reputation for longevity steered me away from Dells.  I need for my investment to last a long time.)
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> So after this experience, I just said "f - it".  I was tired of the "buying-and-returning" merry-go-round.  I was tired of the "research" and the self-conscious store expeditions.  Luckily for me, I knew of a computer that was relatively benign on my eSens  -- the eMachines e725-4520.  For several months, I eschewed buying an eMachines in favor of searching for my notion of a "better option".  (The eMachines brand just didn't have a positive image in my mind for quality/durability – and I thought that I might find an even more eSens-friendly computer.   Besides, I wasn't sure whether I wanted a desktop or a laptop.)  Sometime early last year, without doing any "research" - my brother bought this computer at Walmart.  (My brother does not have electrosensitivity.) His decision-making "process" was basically, "My laptop died - I need a new computer fast - oh, this eMachines is very inexpensive."   During a couple of occasions last year, I spent hours "trying out" his computer - and it seemed relatively gentle on my esens.  I even felt comfortable with using his computer on my lap – and it had been a long time since I could do that with the Dell.  I was worried about the quality/durability - but when I checked the reviews of the laptop, it seemed to get as good (or better) reviews than a lot of the more "reputed brands" out there.  And my brother's laptop was still going strong after a year, it seemed.  So I searched around and bought one.  Here it is:
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> http://www.amazon.com/Acer-Emachines-E725-4520-250GBDVD%C2%B1RW-Wireless/dp/B003AG7N4C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1270241710&sr=8-1
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> I'm not saying things are "perfect" with this computer (there is rarely a such thing as "perfect").  But my symptoms are a LOT less "active" with this eMachines than they were with the ASUS ULV monstrosity, and this computer just seems considerably more "gentle" than a lot of laptops out there.  There are a lot of times when I hardly notice any symptoms at all.  Funny - this "journey" I went on to find a good eSens computer - all of the so-called "research" I did - leads me back to my brother's eMachines, a "Walmart" computer that I had known about for many months.  I wish I had "the good sense" to buy this computer last year - when I could have bought it more easily and for at least $100 cheaper.
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> I also really regret that I didn't tell the eSens group about this computer as soon as I determined that it was a "tolerable" computer (at least for me) - especially in light of the lack of recommended brands/models of computers on eSens.  It might have provided some helpful "lead" to someone.  Now - since this computer is "last year's model",  it is harder to find - and people may more likely have to go through less "mainstream" vendors .
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> I'm just knocking on wood that this computer lasts.
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> I'm not sure if there is a current-model eMachines being sold - I think there may be.  Hopefully - whatever eMachines did (or didn't do) to make this computer relatively-benign - they have replicated in subsequent models.  I'd like to know what it is that makes this computer better than a lot of the others - is it something about the screen-technology, or what?  It could be that some of the same factors that make this computer less expensive than others (last year, it was selling for two-hundred-something dollars at Walmart), makes it more tolerable.  This experience leads me to conclude that it may be fruitful for eSens folks to search for cheap, "low-end" computers being sold at Walmart or Target or somewhere.
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> Also – it is worth mentioning that Acer bought eMachines a few years back - so this computer was actually manufactured by Acer, I think.  So maybe there are some Acer models that share certain characteristics with this eMachines.  An "extreme" example of this is the possibility that this particular Acer computer is the *exact same* computer as my eMachines - it just has an "Acer" label instead of an "eMachines" label:
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> http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AS5732Z-4867-15-6-Inch-Display-Laptop/dp/B00358XT5W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1270242214&sr=8-1
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> I've also realized more than ever that software issues - at least for me - play an important role in computer tolerability.  If the "wrong" software, spyware, or "bloatware" gets installed on this computer - it can become bothersome.  For ex., when I installed the version of Malwarebytes that has real-time protection, I thought I noticed this computer immediately becoming bothersome - thankfully, I could disable the real-time protection.  I also notice that using Mozilla Firefox is significantly less bothersome than using Internet Explorer:  I guess it's a less "bloated", resource-hogging browser.  One reason seems to be that Mozilla gives you the option of deleting individual cookies (I swear I sometimes notice an immediate difference when I delete cookies).  I was nervous about the latest version of Firefox having "hardware acceleration" (the latest IE has this as well) - it just sounds like something that would increase emf.  So I avoided upgrading - until circumstances sort-of "forced" me to upgrade.  Fortunately, there is an option in the new Firefox where you can turn hardware-acceleration off.
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> Looking back, I wonder if the worsening/progression of my electrosensitivity - when my symptoms really started "screaming" - was due to an accumulation of cookies/malware/crapware dumped on my computer harddrive.  I really do believe this played a definite role.  Maybe there was some "poorly scripted" crapware that put a particular strain on my resources/harddrive.  More and more unwanted "stuff" kept getting dumped on my harddrive.  I admit that I was lazy/naiive about installing an anti-virus/anti-spyware program - not that it would have made *too* much of a difference in the long run .  I'm very skeptical about these anti-malware programs truly keeping rogue junk from eventually accumulating on people's computers.
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> Another thing I did with this eMachines (I also did it on the Dell) that made a positive difference is change the monitor display settings from the default 32-bit color to 16-bit color...it seems to either decrease emf, and/or lead to eye-strain relief.  There may be things I can do to further "tweak" the graphics to decrease computer stress, but I currently don't feel any urgent need to do them.
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> Of course, the computer offers a variety of power-management settings - I think most late-model, Windows 7 laptops do.  One thing that's good is that you can configure the computer to run on low, "battery"-type power settings - even when the computer is plugged in.  But so far, I choose not to do this.  I'm running the computer on the default "balanced" settings when it is plugged in.
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> I just think it helps to keep the harddrive as "clean" and as "empty" as possible.  In addition to trying to keep cookies/spyware/adware etc. off the harddrive, I think I'm going to try to minimize the amount of files I put on it.
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> Another thing that I finally started doing was dialing down the power output of our satanic AT&T WiFry router.  I remember you telling me that I could do this, but I was too lethargic/green-thumbed to pursue the matter.  In the back of my mind, I thought there would be a lot involved...that it wasn't for the novice.  But one day in desperation (after a confrontation with my father in which he ordered me to stop turning off the WiFi router, since it also turns off our landline phone service) - I stumbled upon the way to do this.  I logged into our router settings.  The power output is adjustable from Level 1 to Level 10 - of course, our WiFi was operating at the maximum level of 10 (which is the default).  Each time I adjusted the power downward, I noticed relief - i.e., from 10 to 5, from 5 to 3, etc..  Eventually, I decided to keep it at 1 - our computers seem to be dealing with the weaker signal fine.  I also noticed a positive difference when I changed the setting to stop the router from cranking out both "b" and "g" signals.  Now it only outputs "g" signals.
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> Sorry for the loong novella.  I just thought I'd update you on the status of things - just in case you thought I had died or something, lol.  No, the radiation hasn't claimed me quite yet.  Thanks to an improved computer and WiFi situation, things are better than they were a year ago.  Oh, make no mistake - I'm still very much eSens.  I still fear that I've suffered considerable mental and physical damage.  I fear that this computer may become more and more bothersome as the "surreptitious files" start to accumulate.  I can still "feel" the WiFi in the air sometimes - though not nearly as much as I could.  Even with the WiFi power at one, laying on my innerspring mattress bed was still very bothersome.  I recently replaced my "wire-antenna" bed with a "wireless" latex one - although this situation is still in flux because I may have to return the latex bed (the offgassing/fumes have been a big problem for me).
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> ~Svetaswan
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