Please recommend new basic laptop.

Thank heavens for that, shysal. None of the suggestions seemed to be full size.

Well, I have bought an HP Touchsmart laptop. It is full sized, with attached keyboard. I never move it from my table, so don't need a detachable one. It also has CD and SD slots. For on the move I use my tablet.
Thank you all once again for your input.

I have a Samsung Chromebook which has only minimal hard disk storage. It's a 'cloud' computer and everything is stored securely on the cloud. As I have Android phone and tablet, documents, emails and apps can be accessed on all three. It all took a bit of getting used to but I am now very fond of it.

Thanks Elegran, I consider you to be the GN computer advisor! I think I have made my choice, will let you know.

You can connect a laptop or tablet to a separate monitor screen, Shysal or even to your television.

Your files can be transferred to a USB memory stick or an SB card, shysal If the model you choose doesn't have a card slot or a USB port - (they don't all have one, or they only have one of each, which can be restricting) then you can buy a little card reader and/or a USB splitter on the net for a few pounds. I have one, so I can use several attachments at once.

The transformer takes a 64GB mini-card, worth getting with it as it increases your storage no end. It doesn't have a CD slot, but you can get external ones from the net to add (yet another thing to plug into the multi-USB thingy)

Thank you all for your views. I already have a Samsung tablet (using it now as can't read laptop screen), but have fat finger problems, so a keyboard is a must. I also want Windows and Word, so think I will look into the transformer type.
I have lots of old Windows files of photos and documents stored on CDs, which I would like to be able to access, so assume a conventional laptop with CD slot would be necessary for that, or would they be transferrable to other devices?
Please forgive my ignorance, folks, I am a technonumpty!

I love my samsung tablet, but DH has the asus transformer with detachable keyboard and I will agree with him that writing is easier with that than the touch screen. He bought it on advice from DS who works in IT and is ouf family oracle!

My teacher daughter has one of these it was partially funded by the education people so they must think it's ok.

I have been happy with an Asus Transformer, which is a ten-inch tablet that has a detachable keyboard so can be used as a laptop too. It has Windows 8 and a touch screen, but you can also use the keyboard or a mouse. It is reviewed at www.trustedreviews.com/asus-transformer-book-t100-review.

You need WIFI connection

Why not get a tablet either apple or Andriod. No start up time don't weigh much and use anywhere.