Ken,

Your sentiments remind me of my own when I was shopping for a first
scope. Almost against the electronics for sake of becoming dependent.

I have an XT-8 classic and like it very much. I must admit though that
if I were buying another one, I would fork over the extra cash and buy
the intelligent model. You will learn the skies pretty good and once
you realize that you can do it (been there, bought the T-shirt), will
probably wish (like me) that you had the one with the brain (if for no
other reason), for the sake of convenience. Not to mention when time
is short or when the skeeters are so thick it makes the moon
twinkle....

Errol
pasnola.org