I think netscape and one of its competitors does dialup for $12 or $15 a month.

I may just go with the DSL because they are running a special on it for the first 6 months and I averaged it out and it works out to $32 a month for the first year.

Dial-up would cost the $20 a month and then with the cost of the D-U service it would work out the same.

Much better. And if DSL is slow, you can still supplement with free wi-fi if you can get it. And DSL will be fast enough for email and a lot of basic things , even if the DSL is the low-end slow kind. And good DSL will be fast enough for everything.

Thanks for all of the advice!

$32 a month for the first year.

That sounds high. Where I am, the Verizon DSL plans start at $20/month.

Well, my options are limited. It's the local phone company, Qwest or a media company, ImOn. Or I could buy a wireless thing from Verizon or Virgin, but I didn't think they would cost less.

quester,

don't be afraid to ask for the discount for another 6 months after your deal is up. Especially if you have competitors sending you mail about their services.

FYI, when we got our current phone/internet deal we asked if there was anything available where we wouldn't have to sign a contract and we ended up paying less than if we had signed a contract. They can raise our rates after three years but the contract would have ended after three years anyway.

What would you say is the prevalence of Java applets on web pages these days? It seems Apple is taking a step back from Java...making it so that Sun will be supporting it from 10.7 on. That might mean gradually declining support, or it might mean nothing at all.

But in discussion somewhere else, I was being assured that no one uses Java anymore.

Except for the part where I'm using a Java applet in another window, so whatever.

Actually, I think it's a good move for Java support if Sun/Oracle is doing it. While Java applets aren't big (I don't know about internal usage though), there is a good amount of application software that's written in Java, but looks native. It's used on the server side a good amount. On other platforms at least the Sun/Oracle version is the one you always want to use even if there's an alternative one.

What would you say is the prevalence of Java applets on web pages these days?

Good question. I just installed a Java update on my work computer and was wondering the same thing.

I think Java applets are much less prevalent these days, but I occasionally notice them. I can't remember specifically where I've seen applets recently.

From time to time I end up running Java applications, but that's different kettle of fish.

Now I'm wondering what exactly a kettle of fish is? What kind of fish? How are they prepared?

eta: Also, what Gud said.