Americans love Dial-up

Compared to the rest of the world, Americans are virtual sluggards when it comes to taking advantage of the latest and the greatest in connectivity. Korea, Singapore, most of Scandinavia are now much more DSL and T-1 focused than the US, which doesn't even crack the top ten in percentage of broadband use. According to some of the latest research, two-thirds of those Americans using the Net are doing it via dial-up ISPs.

No longer is it about availability. It's about choice. The Internet was originally designed to be one of those rare things in life that is free and no matter how damn inconvenient it might make one's life, many of us who are the political descendants of the Boston Tea Party and the Whisky Rebellion are determined to keep it as darn near free as possible. Even many of those willing to lay out three grand for the latest and greatest in PC's and drop another grand or two on software, are determined to keep their connectivity costs at pocket change levels.

I've learned to keep my mouth shut when people in casual conversation get around to discussing dialup speeds. In such company -- where intelligent people earnestly discuss ways to bring 41K up to 45 -- noting the fact that your broadband is delivering at 400K is a major faux pas, about as crass as crashing a conversation among ardent anglers discussing lures and line weight by interjecting that your fool-proof method of salmon fishing involves a stick of dynamite with a waterproof fuse. "Easier ain't the point you moron," their arched eyebrows will tell you.

Oh, I still feel superior to anyone utilizing such high cost absurdities as AOL or Earthlink, especially those who by the time they tack on another 20 bucks for a phone line and 8 more for an accelerator, end up paying more for dialup than I do for high speed. But it's hard to take the moral high road with someone who's cruising a mom and pop ISP for $9.95 a month. Like motorheads who spend weekends tweaking the manifolds on their old Chevy's, these folks are all about getting the most out of the engine they have, rather than slipping a Ferrari engine under the hood, even when they can afford it.