Can anyone give me some computer advice, please?

POSTED BY: heb
UPDATED: Thursday, July 15, 2004 17:24
VIEWED: 6853
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HEB

Friday, July 2, 2004 10:58 AM

I'm gonna be really cheeky now and ask if anyone out there could possibly give me some internet advice. I know very little about computers so would really appreciate some help if someone has got a couple of minutes to spare. I wont be offended if this is too much to ask.

My parents have finally decided that we can get broadband but I have to get it from BT in the UK. My options are on this page:

www.bt.com/broadband/bb_info.jsp

I really want it for downloading music tracks and things like the Gag reel quickly. If I wanted to download the gag reel quickly which of these would be sufficient?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm useless.

Thanks
heb

Well, my sister's a ship... we had a
complicated childhood
.................
I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

Friday, July 2, 2004 11:07 AM

Your best choice from these options is the £24.99 package, I'm assuming you're going to want to use file-sharing programs to download mp3s which the lower cost version doesn't support.

HEB

Friday, July 2, 2004 11:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chronicthehedgehog:
Your best choice from these options is the £24.99 package, I'm assuming you're going to want to use file-sharing programs to download mp3s which the lower cost version doesn't support.

Thanks for the reply!

I really don't know. What's a file-sharing program? I don't have an mp3 player I just download stuff to listen to in Windows media player off of band's websites and stuff.

I need to learn more about computers.

Thanks so much for your help.

Well, my sister's a ship... we had a
complicated childhood
.................
I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

Friday, July 2, 2004 11:21 AM

File sharing programs are programs like Napster or Kazaa which allow you to download MP3s and videos from other internet users. They've very useful in finding stuff you wouldn't usually be able to get elsewhere.

check out my WIP firefly roleplay system at www.estador.co.uk/firefly

HEB

Friday, July 2, 2004 11:31 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chronicthehedgehog:
File sharing programs are programs like Napster or Kazaa which allow you to download MP3s and videos from other internet users. They've very useful in finding stuff you wouldn't usually be able to get elsewhere.

check out my WIP firefly roleplay system at www.estador.co.uk/firefly

Thanks for the help. I'm checking out your site.

Well, my sister's a ship... we had a
complicated childhood
.................
I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

FIREFLEW

Saturday, July 3, 2004 11:03 PM

May I interject? I highly reccommend Eclipse?

http://www.eclipse.net.uk/

Prices start from £17.99, smaller company = better customer service.

We've got them - works fantastically

Jayne: "Know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I beat you with till you understand who's in command."

EVENTHORIZON

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 11:37 PM

There's a gag reel that can be downloaded??? Where?

"There are too many other inexplicable things around us--horrors, threats, mysteries that draw you in and then inevitably disenchant you. Back to the predictable and humdrum. The prince is never going to come, everybody knows that; and maybe Sleeping Beauty's dead." ~The Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damned

GROUNDED

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 11:57 PM

If you have to go with BT the 2nd option is probably most suitable. You might find a 1GB monthly usage limit a bit constricting with the Basic option...

Any particular reason why you have to go with BT? Most broadband providers work in conjunction with your phone provider.

PUDOR

Thursday, July 15, 2004 10:33 AM

As someone's already mentioned - if you can get BT broadband, you can get any other (512k) ADSL service based on their network.

In practice, this means you can get services from really good providers like http://www.bulldogdsl.com and http://www.freedom2surf.net.

Basically, when you buy the service from one of these companies, it's handled by BT (and in fact BT charge a wholesale rate to these providers) up to the point where it meets your provider's network, which then handles bandwidth out to the internet proper.

If you happen to live in central london (which I'm assuming you don't), then Bulldog do an incredible deal (see their website). Otherwise, a standard 512k package is perfectly fine for one person, particularly if you're upgrading from narrowband. If you've got the cash, a decent 1M connection is obviously better.

EDIT:

You're better off going for a connection without a download cap if you're likely to be downloading at all...

Another thing to do is to go for a 'wires-only' option (self-install) and buy the modem from somewhere like www.ebuyer.com rather than take the overpriced one most of them will give you...

HEB

Thursday, July 15, 2004 1:29 PM

Thanks everyone for all your help. It is very much appreciated. Following the advice on here, my Mum has gone ahead and ordered the middle package. I'm going away on Saturday and when I get back in a week we should have it. I'm very excited.

Thanks again all. If I can help anyone out with anything (I'm not really knowledgeable on anything much though I'm afraid) then give me a shout.

You're all fantastic!

keep flyin'

heb

Well, my sister's a ship... we had a
complicated childhood
.................
I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

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