Most late-model laptops can run a second monitor under Win ME or XP.
1. Just plug the second monitor into the VGA output on the back,
2. Use the alternate function keys on the top row of your keyboard to run the second monitor simultaneously with the laptop monitor,
3. Right-click on the desktop to bring up "Display Properties." Under one of the tabs will be a box to check to stretch the desktop across both monitors. There is also a diagram of the two monitors where you can drag them around to change their relationship to each other (monitor 2 is right, left, above or below the main monitor).
That should do it. I first tried to do this under Win 2K, but the settings were not there. I switched to ME, and Bingo, no problem.
Hope this helps,
kp