[Sussex] Help with linux

[Steve Dobson]

Hi and welcome Az

On Wed, Apr 21, 2004 at 04:52:57PM +0100, Mark Harrison wrote:
> I'm afraid that I cringed as soon as I saw "AOL".

As did I
 
> AOL is NOT a conventional ISP. It does not offer "standard internet
> connectivity" in the way that the vast majority of others do. Instead, it
> offers a slightly bizzarre communications service, that includes SOME (but
> not all) of the features of "real" Internet access.
> 
> Their offering is based around using THEIR access software, which is only
> available for Windows and the Mac. 
<snip>

I thought the AOL was now supporting Linux.

Have you signed up to AOL?  If so how soon can you get out?  Do you want
some of the services that AOL provide that other ISPs do not?  AOL (from
their Ads) make a big thing of filtering "raw" Internet traffic to rid it
of "unsuitable" material (for children).  Is this something that you need?

If you don't then I would suggest that you think about another ISP.  Do 
you have broadband or a 56K modem?  If you don't have broadband: why not?
If you have 24/7 Internet connection then you can start "playing" with
other things - like your own web server, email server, etc.  The downside
is that you also have to think about firewalling and attack detection.

If you could provide a little more information about your situation that
would help, but better would be turning up to the meeting next week.
(See http://www.sussex.lug.org.uk)

Steve D.