I fear it may be time to get a new computer. This one is almost six years old, and while it does almost everything it’s supposed to, and I like it just fine, too often it takes too long to boot up. And sometimes, it does so incompletely, so I have to restart two or three times in sequence to get it going properly. Thus, I’m assuming replacement (before it totally dies, so I can transfer files) is my best option <grump grump over unexpected expense>.

I’m looking for suggestions, while noting my probably incredibly finicky wants and needs:

At this point, I’m too stuck in my habits to switch away from Windows to Apple. The current computer is an HP, and I have had no complaints (other than this glitching system, which I assume is a symptom of age, not manufacture), but neither am I wedded to the brand.

I’m adamantly opposed to “subscribing” to the programs I use, especially since I often use the computer while not connected to the internet.

I use WordPerfect (I have my old copy that still does everything I want it to), PhotoShop (ditto: my old copy), Excel, Microsoft Word (because too many other people use it, so I have to use it sometimes, even though I prefer WordPerfect), PowerPoint, Chrome (for web browsing), Adobe Acrobat, PDFsam Basic, and Calibre, Kompozer, and Sigil (for ebook creation).

I do book layout and cover design on the computer, so this 17″ monitor is pretty much a minimum. On the other hand, I also have to use the computer on the road, so anything much bigger/heavier might be a problem (big fingers, so typing on a tiny tablet keyboard would not be easy).

So (to anyone who’s had the patience to actually read all of that): any suggestions?