More about broadband...

I've had a few emails about my last posting, so I'd just like to mention that I do appreciate that not everyone has access to broadband Internet. In that case, of course, you will have to stick with dial-up until (as will surely be the case sooner or later) broadband becomes available to you.

But for the rest of you, here are two more reasons to upgrade to broadband I forget to mention before. First, you will have access to Internet telephony services such as Skype.

Skype is a free service. You simply download the free software from the website and follow the instructions to set up an account. You will also need a pair of headphones and a microphone, or alternatively you can buy a special handset (similar to an ordinary telephone) which plugs into your computer's USB socket.

With this set-up, you can then phone anyone in the world who also has a Skype account free of charge, and any other phone-user for a small cost. Internet telephony services also work on dial-up (sometimes), but the quality is much inferior.

My second extra reason for upgrading to broadband is that you can set up a home network. This enables two or more people to share an Internet connection, so that they can access the net independently at the same time. You can also (though if you're anything like me you may need a bit of help from an expert on this) set up a true network with shared folders and files - ideal if you live with another writer and collaborate on projects.

So, there you are - two more reasons for getting broadband, as if I hadn't given you enough already!