edX
mac shaman
as tempted as i am to agree with you here, i doubt that you are really below average intelligence given your standing as a vet.
more likely you are a "computer idiot" in which case you are going to love your new mac in the long run. i started out using my first mac because i was a computer idiot and apple made it so easy i have never looked back.i think we're all assuming that your scanner is left over from your previous set up. if you haven't tried it yet, go to HP's web site and see if they have any os x software available. probably not if it is older and then the vue scan advice is probably your best bet. just remember, this isn't apple's fault, this is HP's. Epson seems to give the best support of any of the scanner makers.
changing email really isn't that hard. if it isn't a hardship financially, you should get an account with a real internet service provider (ISP) and set up your new account. then have aol redirect to your new address. once you have all the important contacts notified that you are switching, cancel the aol and lose all the spam that you used to get for awhile.
while you really are in the wrong forum for help, the guys that visit this one are some of the most helpful on the site so i let it hang here. but you will probably get more and faster ansers in the future if you post one question at a time to the appropriate forum. also, while just getting started, setting up a signiture similar to mine that lists all your specs will make it easier for others to give more specific answers.
welcome to using a mac and to the macosx.com community!
please don't feel stupid at any point and feel free to fire away with the questions. that's what we're here for primarily.
