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John, a telescope that is a struggle to work with rapidly becomes a disappointment and just as rapidly, finds its way into the back of the garage. The best advice you have been given here is to prioritize aperture and with that in mind, start with an 8" Dobsonian. These are now offered by several reputable manufacturers including Skywatcher and Orion. Orion do a "Go-To" Dob in that aperture for about A$1100 (Orion XTg "GOTO") and such a scope would provide computerised go-to and tracking functionality for a pretty modest cost. You need aperture because the objects your lucky recipient will probably hope to see will include some faint objects such as nebulae and the like. These are disappointing in a small scope and also in scopes with poor optics. Also, with 8" scopes, you will normally expect to get focal rations of 5 or 6 and this will provide you with a good range of working magnifications to see more planetary and lunar detail. This translates into a successful and rewarding experience rather than one which leaves you flat.
Peter
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