Q: Is there a real difference between a 450, 500, or
550 processor?


A: The speed of the processor is only a small factor
in the overall performance of your computer. We
would recommend the 450, as Intel's top-of-the-line
processor is always going to be much more expensive.
As the higher end processor is only about 10 percent
faster, you shouldn't notice a great difference.
Some newer applications may require a faster chip,
specifically the new MGI software. It turns your
computer into a sort of TiVo or Replay box that
captures live TV. Unless you plan to use your computer
for such a purpose, 450 should be just fine.


Q: What do I need to do to speed up my computer?
I thought that I had the best of the best, but it is
just not quick enough for me.


A: Unfortunately, even if you have a fast computer,
surfing the Internet can be slow. Your modem
limits how fast information travels to and from your
computer. Modem speeds top out around 56 kbps.
Also, your computer has to talk to other computers
(known as servers) to access information. These
servers may run slower than your machine,
especially if they have to send data to several
Internet users at once.
You can speed up your connection with ISDN or DSL
Internet access. These digital phone lines operate
four to 100 times faster than a regular analog
modem. They may cost more than your standard
dial-up connection. Check with your phone company
to see if it offers direct access in your area.
Another great choice is a cable modem, which your
cable company can provide. With a cable modem you
can get speeds from 500,000 to 3 million bits per
second.
In the future we will be able to access the Internet
via satellites. Over the next four years, Teledesic
plans to launch hundreds of low-orbit satellites
that will allow two-way Internet access from any
location in the world.


Q. What is the difference between ISDN and cable
modems?

A. ISDN and cable modems are completely different
animals. You get ISDN access from your phone
company, and it uses the same copper telephone
lines that come into your house now. The difference
between ISDN service and plain old telephone service
is a digital switch at the main telephone office. That
switch makes ISDN lines capable of higher speeds.
Actually, they are capable of being twice as fast as a
56K modem: 128,000 bits per second is the maximum
ISDN speed. The other advantages of ISDN are faster
dial-out speed and better, more reliable lines.
To get ISDN you have to do several things:
All this probably will cost at least twice as much as your
existing service. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Leo was
spending about $60 per month for ISDN access before
cable modems came to his town. In addition, here in the
San Francisco area, the local phone company has been
known to charge .01 cent per line, per minute, during
business hours-- and that's on top of the monthly fee for
ISDN service.
Cable modems are very different from ISDN. The data
comes into your home via the same cable that brings you
cable TV, but it can be used to both receive and send data.
Cable modems receive data very quickly-- often well over
1 million bits per second. That's more than 16 times as
fast as your regular telephone modem. A cable modem
will almost always receive data at least ten times as fast
as a regular modem.
Cable Internet access is also nice because you never need
to dial out. As long as your computer is on, you are always
logged into the Net. The cost of cable is also generally
lower than ISDN. That's because most cable companies
offer a flat fee for all of their services. In Leo's area, it is
about $40 per month for unlimited use. For that price, he
got space for a small website, several email addresses,
and Internet access.
In most cases, cable modems are a better deal, but they're
not available everywhere. You can't just go out and buy a
cable modem. You have to get your cable company to offer
the service, and most don't because it requires expensive
upgrades on their part. You'll need to call your cable
provider to find out whether cable modem access is offered
in your area.



Comparing Access Speeds

Q: I would like to know what are the download speeds of a
file using DSL, cable modem, or DirecPC.

A: DSL, DirecPC, and cable speeds vary, depending on your
provider.

DSL speeds range from 128 Kbps to 256 Kbps. ADSL can
transfer data at the amazing rate of 6 MBps. You might
also hear about DSL Light, which manages about 384 Kbps.
DirecPC, a satellite connection, can download as fast as
400 Kbps. But you will still need a modem to upload, or
send, information such as email or instant messages.
Cable modems that offer speeds up to 2 Mbps are already
available in many areas. The more people use the service
at a given time, though, the slower it will go. Still, most of
the time you'll connect considerably faster than you would
with a 56k modem.
Makes your 56k connection-- or your 28k connection-- seem
sluggish, doesn't it? Cable and DSL service isn't available in
all areas, but these options are expected to become standard
soon.