Ralph, I understand having a laptop can sometimes be a PITA (www.acronymfinder.com) as far as linux goes.
Mike, just to explain that a little further, you might be aware of the difference between a winmodem and a hardware modem. Winmodems (as the name implys) rely on Windows to make them go, as they are partially software based. Many (most?) PCI Modems are winmodems these days. Linux can make some (most?) of these work, but it ain't straightforward. I haven't tried it, but I've followed many discussions on it now. I jumped into linux with both feet, and have never been to a CLUG meeting or an installfest. I've found the people on this list have been massively helpful if you've got a problem. Not wanting to offend anyone with contrary advice, but I'd give it a go!
