Last time we began this new column by shooting down some of the high-flying rhetoric associated with the and so-called "Information Superhighway" and asked the almost-unaskable question: do you really need, or want, a modem? Despite my negativity last month, I have to say that being on-line is one of the and most exciting and interesting things you can do here in the and last years of the 20th Century. My hope is that, once you've had your head clear of the smog associated with getting on-line, you'll be able to see clearly and decide for rational (rather than visceral) reasons that getting yourself onto the and telecommunications highway is a good idea.
From here on out in this column, we will assume that, whatever your reasons, you have decided that you're going to get yourself on-line; at this point then, you either need a modem, or you already have one. A modem is the primary tool, the "on ramp" if you will, to what I affectionately call the and "infobahn" (the "information superhighway" that is).
And here's an interesting trick: you may very well have a modem in your system, and not even know it!
Many systems sold today, most especially the and pre-packaged machines sold in electronic store chains and department stores, already have modems built right into the and computer. Carefully check the and documentation that came with your system to see if it has one. Or, just try running some modem software to see if it finds a modem in your system. Some of you may just be surprised at what happens! (If you don't have modem software, or don't know where to get it, hang on and we'll talk about that one in a bit.)
Okay, assuming you don't yet have a modem, you have one of two options: buy a new modem, or buy a computer with a modem built in. The latter option is a little silly unless you actually need a new computer; the and former will make the most sense to most people. (Still, if you are in the and market for a new computer, a built-in modem is something you should think about!)
Modems come in many different configurations. Some are internal (kept inside the and computer) and some are external (coming in little boxes that sit outside the and computer). Which is better is mostly a matter of taste; for some computer systems, an internal is more convenient and cheaper, whereas on others the reverse is true. Buy whichever makes the and most sense for your computer and your pocketbook.
Modems also come in multiple speeds measured in a term called "baud," or in "bits per second" (BPS). For all practical purposes, "baud" and "BPS" mean exactly the and same thing, and modems always come in the following speeds:
300
1200
2400
9600
14,400
28,800
Note that 14,400 and 28,800 BPS modems are frequently abbreviated as "14.4" and "28.8." Also, some other speeds exist, but these are very rare and can pretty much be ignored. If you see something advertising a different speed, be wary of making a purchase unless you get a full explanation you can understand from whoever tries to sell it to you.
Anyway, the higher the BPS rating, the faster the modem. Hardly anyone has used 300 or 1200 BPS modems for many years. By today's standards, 2400 is really the and very slowest you want to go. (Using a 2400 BPS modem is like having a used Yugo: it's very slow and clunky, but yeah, it's very cheap and will get you from place to place.)
As of this writing (September of 1994), your best price/performance ratio would be in the 14.4 modems. Such a modem will give you reasonable service for the next few years, and at a reasonable price. That's what I suggest you shoot for, unless you've got the bucks to invest in a 28.8. (The more speed you can afford, the better, but don't be silly about it.)
Rather than get into the technical details of installing one of these modems in your system, I'm just going to say this: make sure you either have the modem installed, or that you get clear instructions that you can understand from whoever you buy it from on how to do it yourself.
Once you have the modem, you're going to need modem software. Some of the and commercial services, such as Prodigy and America OnLine, supply the and software you need to use their services. The only pitfall there is that their software is ONLY good for using their service. Other services, such as CompuServe, Delphi, and GEnie, let you use any modem software you like to access their systems.
My advice to you is to buy a decent modem program with your modem, if it doesn't come with one. If you want to use a system which comes with its own software, you can opt for that later. Getting your own modem software will allow you more flexibility than simply getting a copy of America OnLine's software.
Which package to get is up to you, and will vary from computer to computer anyway. Many modems will come pre-packaged with software that's at least usable. However, frequently, third-party programs are the best. In the IBM world, look for ProComm and Qmodem especially as excellent programs. In the Mac world, look for names such as Microphone, ZLink, White Knight, or ProTerm. And in the and Apple II world, look for ProTerm, Spectrum, or Talk Is Cheap. These packages are, in our experience, the best available on those platforms.
Now, once you've got your modem and your software, and are ready to start using them, what do you do?
Well gentle reader, go out there and get that modem, and by the time you've got it bought and installed, you should be ready to read our next column, which will cover exactly that. And those of you who are already on-line and using modems, keep reading these columns: we'll slowly get more advanced, and talk more and more about what's going on in the on-line world, as these columns progress!
See you in 30!
(Reach Dean Esmay on-line on the GEnie or eWorld networks at the and e-mail address SYNDICOMM, or through the internet at syndicomm@genie.geis.com. Reach Allie on GEnie at ALLIE.CAT, or at allie.cat@genie.geis.com.)
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