Phil Kane wrote:

On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 10:38:32 -0400, Arnie Macy wrote:

I don't use a second line for my modem. I have online answering, so if I
"really" want to take the call I will.

That never worked here. And as I said, I kept the system on line
24/7 because of real-time updating the home office workstation to
and from the office server and instant e-mail connection.

As you know, Arnie, when HQ calls they expect you to be there on
the other end. I thought that I was finished with that when I
retired from the Feds but my private-practice clients expected no
less.

That said, I was never all that
impressed with the difference in speed -- other than for downloads. Regular
surfing, NGs etc are close to the same for my system.

You apparently never had to download massive files. I frequently
had to download 150-300 MB worth of data bases or operating
system updates from IBM - "fixpacks" which are cumulative even
though only 10-20 MB of files are changed in each round.

The difference between "56K" running at 40K and the near-T1 speed of
a cable modem download has to be seen to be appreciated. It makes
the difference between doing it overnight or doing it while I go
get a cold drink from the 'fridge.

I just finished reading a news article about how a new online scam is using
computers that stay online with broadband connections as host servers to serve
porn rings. The scammers download their webpages to your computer and then direct
users to your machine instead of theirs. Helps them dodge ID and shutdown by
their own ISP's. Meanwhile it's all transparent to the computers owners.
Evidently this is something new or just now being recognized.
It says one should use a firewall to prevent it all.....