from Bacchaus Anew <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
AOL, CompuServe, and MSN are the only pseduo-ISPs I know of. Earthlink is
not, however they do provide proprietary software, which is essentially
wizards and front-ends to configuring your internet settings. Any software
that assigns you an IP address (as AOL, CompuServe, and MSN do) can be used
with any TCP/IP software. I believe that you can even use AOL to connect
under Win9x, and in a DOS-box, run Arachne. Hope that helps clear up a
little confusion.
-- Rob
(end of quote)
I think you missed Prodigy.
Having an IP address is not sufficient to run TCP/IP software. Most DOS
Internet programs require DOS-style packet driver. If you use AOL to connect
under Win9x, there would be no DOS packet driver, and Arachne wouldn't know she
was connected to the Internet. I was never able to use any OS/2 Internet
program when connected from a DOS box, and the only DOS Internet programs I was
able to use when connected from OS/2 were the X_* mail and news programs in
UKA_PPP.
