[arachne] Re: Dial up v. broadband

Arachne at FreeLists---The Arachne Fan Club!
When the cable broadband (local city-owned, not roadrumage or such) first became available, I kept a (reduced price reduced usage) dial up account for about 3 months or so. Then I dropped the dial up.
Actually, here in the USA there are still places where dial-up is the ONLY access available. Viable communication sats that lease out to ISPs do not cover the entire 48. There are lots of places which don't have cable TV as an option.
I have become dependent (not 'preference-erized') upon the internet and high speed connection. One of the things which will be a major determining factor in anywhere I choose to live is the availability of broadband, hopefully from a semi-reliable corporation that has people there to take customer trouble reports and people to fix what breaks. I do not consider it unreasonable to possibly pay $120 a month for unlimited traffic satellite internet, once I find a place to move to.
The internet is an integral part of much of the financial world, and the world of news and othe communications. I write precisely one (1) check per month, paying all my other bills online. Other than grocery shopping, or certain 'junk' that can be cheap and low quality for the use I have, all my shopping is done online. I have a pair of Arctic Cat Pac boots coming -- to replace the worn and frayed pac boots I bought in 1986 -- at a 40% savings over what I could get in a good retail store if a good retail store were close to me or even the next town over. I have "cigarette lighter" battery chargers being shipped for my daughter and myself, so we can be away from home and still keep camera batteries fully charged; I've also got two new batteries for her camera (on special, a 2-pack of Li ion rechargeable camera batteries for less than it would cost me to put 2 gallons of gas in the car) and a new battery for my camera. With her taking baby pictures, and pictures of the horses she prepares for shows, she needs to have the batteries up and ready. With me dreaming of having a commercial photographic income source, I want to be able to take multiple pics of subjects whenever I spot them, so I don't miss "the" picture I really want. I found an inexpensive paper cutter on eBay, so I can neatly and properly trim the photos I'm cleaning up and printing for my daughter ... 

etc etc and soforth
Some of us could not get the things we need and want if it were not for the internet; the internet would not be a viable alternative if high speed connection was not available so multiple windows could be open for direct comparisons, etc. WiFi may spread, but there will always be parts of the country without service ... so if you have a few dollars you want to invest, start researching companies working to get more communication satellites which use frequencies that ISPs will want ... and (as much as I hate the gov't for forcing me to get a new expensive tv when the one I have works just fine) check into companies planning to bid on the analog frequencies currently used by TV, but to be sold at auction once the digital (2009?) TV mandate is fully in place. 

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwd she talks toooooooooooo much!!!

<EWG>
Gotta pop in once in awhile to stir things up ... else life would be as bland as perch poached in low fat milk. 

take care of yourself!!

l.d.
Arachne at FreeLists -- Arachne, The Premier GPL Web Browser/Suite for DOS --

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