Of course the laptop isn't free--she meant she already had it, so there was no additional cost. Let's face it, the price of eInk readers (and really other dedicated readers) is keeping a lot of potential ebook lovers from making the plunge.
And she was also making the point that for someone who really loves paperbacks, to learn to enjoy ebooks is a big step.
I thought the point of Cathy's post was to point out that one doesn't have to make a big investment to start enjoying ebooks. That's why I responded as I did--you can start with devices you already own and free software and free books. They're like a gateway drug.
I send people who express curiosity about my Cybook to this forum all the time. I hope all enthusiastic newbies aren't going to be met with such an off-putting response. It was uncharacteristic of this group.