Hi Judy,
As a non-expert, I may give a different perspective
Media Center vs. Home Edition --
As Admiral Q pointed out, a media center equipped computer is going to be
pretty expensive. It's really intended, like the name says, for people who
want to make their computer the center for all their entertainment -- TV,
games, etc. Just playing and even writing normal CDs and DVDs does not
require XP Media Center. It sounds like a computer with Home Edition will
be just fine.
Word/Office applications:
As the others have said, this is not part of Windows XP, whether Home Ed or
Media Center. Some manufacturers will bundle Office or Word with the
computer, but those are likely to be pricier. More will bundle Microsoft
Works, since it's cheaper and fine for many personal and business
applications; or will include some other office suite. Depending on what
your son's needs are, any of these may be fine. If this computer is
intended to "take work home from the office", best to find out what he uses
at the office.
Some non-technical words: Are you consulting with your son or trying to
surprise him? In a sense, a computer is personal enough ... there are
enough options ... that a surprise might backfire unless you know both his
needs and computers / the computer market pretty well. Extra money spent on
the computer itself, or premium software like Microsoft Office, might be
better spent on, say, an inexpensive laser printer or a gigantic hard
drive -- it depends so much on what he wants to do with the computer.
