I have just graduated and bought this laptop back in 2008 to take to university with me. I needed it primarily for writing essays and researching topics but also for storing pictures and streaming online videos and music. I added the latest microsoft package myself but the notebook was more than capable of dealing with any demands as it has more than sufficient memory and processing speed.
The laptop doesnt have any exciting new features - but this wasnt important to me. It does have a good quality built in webcam which I used often for skype etc.
Unfortunately my laptop took some wear and tear at university but its sturdy nature manage to avoid any breaks. The only problem Ive had started more recently - the battery wont charge fully so I need it plugged in near permanently. This has also caused issues with the charge cable but perhaps it is because of its age.