PENA FAMILY wrote: > On a side note I really wish someone would get a driver working for > winmodems. I don't really want to spend the money on an external one since > this one works just fine. Oh well keeping the faith going. Just as a reminder, not all internal modems are winmodems. I prefer an internal modem for reasons of convenience (modem inside the computer, no wall wart, less cabling, etc.) and cost. A friend of mine recently bought a "white box" external modem for $50 (while she was visiting relatives in Phoenix). I helped hook it up for her (as part of an "install fest"), and somebody else completed the Linux installation. Worked first time and ever since with no problems. I haven't bought a modem in a while, but based on the above and on recent browsing at computer shows, I would expect to pay: * $10 to $25 for a winmodem * $35 to $50 for an internal "real" modem * $50 and up for an external modem (not USB) Aside: Don't choose the modem based on these prices -- for example, a vendor will be happy to sell you a winmodem in the $35 to $50 price range -- that doesn't make it a real modem. Look for a warranty and the address / telephone number of the manufacturer. Last time I bought a modem, almost everyone was offering a five year warranty. Buy from a vendor within driving distance, know his return, refund, and warranty policies, and keep the receipt with his legible phone number and addresss. (Many vendors will accept defective merchandise for a period of up to 30 days, saving you the hassle of dealing with a manufacturers warranty, but policies differ so you need to ask -- likewise on non-defective return / refund policies.) I've bought a lot of stuff at computer shows, I've had problems with less than 2% of it, and always got the problem resolved, even though twice I had to drive to a vendor's place of business. (Most problems were resolved over the phone or by exchange of parts by mail.) I've tried to stick with vendors in Philadelphia, New Jersey, or New York city, 50 to 80 miles away, just in case. The purchase that was my worst experience at a computer show was a Hewlett Packard inkjet printer which died a few months after the warranty expired. I expect equipment I buy to work for much longer than the warranty period -- 3 to 20 times the length of the warranty. Hope this helps, Randy Kramer
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