Help me choose a new computer

I'm looking to purchase a new computer for my dad. I'm somewhat tech savvy, with a CS degree and working in tech, but mostly on daw center linux servers and switches and routers and the like. I started off on Windows, but have been using a mac for years, and haven't used a Windows system since Windows XP. IN other words, I'm not too familiar with what is available nowadays as far as PCs.



My dad is definitely not a power user. He normally just surfs the web, and may print out a page or two, and on very rare occasions may hook up a digital camera to upload a photo or two.



My question is whether there is anything out there that is sort of a limited functionality system, so he can't screw it up too bad. I think I remember a while back hearing about "netbooks" or something like that with only a few key applications, but I am sure things have moved on since then, and also he does not need it to be portable. Cost is definitely an issue (~$500 or so). Since his storage requirements are low, I was thinking he could get the best performance for the price by getting a slower processor and less RAM but getting a smallish SSD. Am I on the right track here? Any suggestions?



Thanks in advance...

via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/1xmDuVn