[Brian Rector]

This may be old news to some, but Yahoo and SBC Communications are partners in a new ISP, called SBCYahoo Dial. I have decided to take the Yahoo plunge since I have used Yahoo for over 4 years now and a big fan. Here's what you should know about the new service before taking the Yahoo plunge:

1)The connections max out at 56k. However, Yahoo and SBC are going to roll out DSL soon.

2)If you decide to merge the Yahoo email address you have with the SBC account..make sure that you want to stick around with Yahoo for the long haul. If you cancel, you will be billed ten bucks per month just to keep the yahoo email address.

3)You cannot download the software at the moment. However, you can send away for the CD for free. Yahoo and SBC do have plans to have the software available via download, but with the CD having such software as IE 6, Norton Antivirus 2002, Zone Alarm, and others....expect a long download. Better get the CD instead. If you do decide to get the download instead, itd make perfect practice for the waiting around for the Windows XP Service Pack download coming up on the 9th.

 

[MarkA]

Do you NEED the software (like you do with AOL)? I'd hope not!

 

[James_F]

I believe they have a browser like MSN Explorer that you must use. So I guess its more like MSN that AOL. :shrug:

 

[James_F]

Here is a screenshot...

Link

 

[MarkA]

James, MSN started requiring their own software to connect? I didn't know that, I thought you could still use whatever you wanted. Oh well, I don't need to worry - none of the national ISPs have a local dial up number.

 

[James_F]

No you have to use MSN explorer now. I have a friend who I set up their computer using Windows ME. Its had an older version of MSN on there. As soon as we connected, it wanted to download MSN explorer.

When I had DSL from Qwest here in Phoenix, I had to use MSN for my email. Either login using hotmail or MSN explorer. I could surf the internet using any browser, but I needed MSN to check my email. Thats one of the reasons I dropped DSL and went to cable modem...

 

[razorbackfan]

Wal-Mart Connect is $9.95 a month, Net-Zero is $9.95 a month (or free). Why pay $20-$30.00 a month for a dial-up ISP?

 

[Geronimo]

Some folks really love that AOL browswer and some of the proprietary services. I do know some folks that travel extensively and like AOL because it has local dial up numbers everywhere. I would think that even Earthlink would be OK.

But in the end to each their own. Sometimes you are just used to something and/or like its look and feel. If that is worth a few dollars---go ahead and pay it.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Here's a vent, I hate ISPs that require you to install their software, and usually hijacks IE to have the ISPs logo in the top right corner and the ISPs name in the title bar, both which can be corrected with editing the registry. But Still, I have been using Windows dial up networking since '96 and don't wanna use their software. When I was looking back into Earthlink 3 years, I got one of their free s/w CDs at Circuit City, but I called tech support and after 3 or 4 CSRs they finally told me how to configure DUN for Earthlink (basically just the primary + Seconday DNS#s). If I will ever be forced to use the Earthlink software I may leave them, but most national ISPs are going this way, and I've just about had it with the local ones. As most of you know I can't stand AOL, but I will be interested in seeing AOL when Netscape replaces IE as the browser. This should happen in either version 9 or 10.

 

[Mark Holtz]

The ISP that I work for doesn't even HAVE a setup disk anymore. We simply run the user through a Internet Connection Wizard, and plug the settings in. And, unless they're on a Mac, we recommend using "Server Assigned Name Server Addresses".

Our philosophy when it comes to e-mail is "whatever works best", since there are people who prefer Netscape over IE. (If people ask my preference, I say try both.) Thus, my job has me knowing IE 4-6 for PC, OE 4-6 for PC, Netscape 4.x and 6+ (including Mozilla), plus some knowledge of Mac software.

And, if you want to remove the branding on IE, click on Start, then Run, then type in the following:

rundll32.exe iedkcs32.dll,Clear

 

[James_F]

Thanks for the shortcut for removing the branding on IE. I used to go to the Registry. :eek2:

 

[Nick]

Z'Loth, what's the word on the recently released NS 7.0. I only use the Navigator component.

Regarding EarthLink, in my travels, I have found local (free) dial-up numbers in most cities to which I travel. I have six DUN icons on my desktop, one for each city. For a couple of small towns I regularly go to, I "piggy-back" on a friends AllTel account. Shhh!

I don't use proprietary ISP software, and I don't think EarthLink will EVER require it. As to AOL, I recommend it to internet newbies, but I consider it to be appropriate only for the "toddler" stage for internet use.

BTW, I have free NetZero on board for back-up use if EarthLink ever craps out on me.

 

[Mark Holtz]

Netscape 7 appears to be better than the 6.x versions, and is more configurable. As for actual comparison, I'm going to play around with it more this weekend.