My first always-on connection was ISDN. The bandwidth wasn't great, but that doesn't matter. Always-on is the critical thing that makes using the net easier than opening the phone book.
As Tim Bray put it, fast and always on.
I love my WearableGizmo; its connection is not so fast, but pocket google rocks.
22 Oct 2002: switched to Everest , from rr.com, today.
Can I use any Internet software I want?Yes.
everest FAQ
I use roadrunner since 17 Apr 2002. "Always" is relative, I guess. Service outages: 30Jun: (not sure how much time). 8 Jul: 11:19am to 11:13pm.
25Apr2002: Monday I couldn't keep my ssh tunnels up; the day was pretty much shot. Tuesday started the same way, so I called Roadrunner. I had filled out their "have a sales droid call me" forms any number of times with no response; but I must say it's really easy to get signed up if you call them. They showed up at 10am the next day, and I was online by 11am. The bandwidth is noticeably (but not radically) better than DSL (I consistently maxed out at 120KB/sec getting debian stuff with DSL; I get more like 200KB/sec with cablemodem). All sorts of things work now that didn't before... like software updates on the iMac.
I called just now to cancel DSL service; after wading thru about 7 levels of menu, a voice informed me they were too busy to take my call and hung up on me. That's typical of the service I've gotten from them.
I use to use southwestern bell DSL. They're fine as long as you don't have to deal with them. They're pretty reliable -- I can remember only a handful of outages in the last year -- but they have never explained any of the problems I've had.
The DSL service is provided via PPPOE. The amazing thing about PPPOE is that you can run it and IP on the same ethernet segment. That made my brain hurt for a while, but I think I grok now.
I'm looking at time warner roadrunner service; I used it back in Austin, and I was happy with it; they keep sending me "sign up now!" flyers only to say "no, we don't service your area yet" when I try to sign up.
At Best Buy, I saw an offer for comcast cablemodem service; gotta look into it.
switch from swbell DSL to roadrunner? Dan Connolly to KCLUG (10/03/01)
Sep 2002: MICHAEL POWELL V. THE ECONOMY Cable Access -- article looks interesting but I can't seem to find time to read it.
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