Thanks for your prompt reply. Please bear with me because I am still a bit puzzled. Having read what I wrote, I think it is largely because I have not made myself clear. Hopefully the following is clearer:
My existing machine (Win 98) has a broadband connection. If I buy another computer with XP requiring activation and it has no broad band connection, will it allow me, before activation, to network it to my old computer and then activate it through the network?