General Chat

Ho hum, used to be like watching paint dry a lot of the time. I've tried for years to improve the speed of connecting to the internet. First it was going to be via cable (in the mid 90s, and they were digging up all the roads for months at a time. Then they handed it over to the commercial interests, with the result that we never got the cable service, altho neighbouring towns (in Wiltshire) did, simply because there weren't enough people where I lived to justify their profits! Then, after we moved to Devon in '01, we were all into broadband. Same problem again. Despite all the saturation TV and newspaper advertising, our post code always came up zilch, because we rural peasants live out in the sticks! Then, when I had almost given up, my friend who runs the local computer shop suggested we installed an ISDN line. Absolutely brilliant! From the usual umpteen minutes modem clicking & whirring time, particularly when the USA has woken up and gone on line (sorry, fellas!), we now connect routinely and quietly in about 5 seconds flat! Sells itself in GB mainly as BT Home Highway, originally introduced for families with one telephone line and needing to use the phone and the PC at the same time. The kit includes 4 connection points, 2 analogue (phones, faxes etc) and 2 digital (for computers), of which any 2 can be connected at the same time. We run a shop business from home, so invaluable for multi-use. A bit more pricey than a 56k modem connection, but well worth it. I visit Uganda occasionally for a children's medical charity, and their modem speed is even worse than ours - 7 bps is quite common! Tho even they have a fastline option (presumably something like ISDN). Good hunting! Philip

Erm.. I'm sure I would if I knew what it was lol ! SiS.

YES................every day. It must be the most cursed piece of electrical equiptment in the house. Maggie

not a problem, we use dial up and it seems to fine! Only replying because my daughter has just arrived in Syndney on her 5 month "extended" holiday after university.!! she thinks the place is wonderful ! just thought I`d let you know!

Now its working I have to turn it off. Its time to go to bed. 2.45 am Wednesday. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Night all Sue

Hullo Sue, from Oz........ YES WE DO!!!!!!!! My pc sometimes refuses to shut down......sometimes on startup, it gets as far as the taskbar showing, and then sits there waiting for christmas, i think. Sometimes it shutsdown ok, only to insist on a scandisc.......on the next reboot....GGGRRR!!!! and other times is good as gold....... Little Minx?!!!!!! Bob

Hi Sue, I`m using 1mb Broadband,so don`t really have any trouble, but yes,every now and again,I think the computer has developed a mind of it`s own. Barry. ps.Good luck,I find threatening it works.

I have an internal modem that has tantrums every now and again. Worked fine last night then today it sulked and couldn't be found. Really fed up with this happening and it takes so long to get it working again,time after time. Anyone else have pc's that have TANTRUMS? Sue