Re: Connecting to the Internet

[Scott.Alfter@skunkworks.genesplicer.org (Scott Alfter)]

In article <3845747@f10.n209.z1>, Pete Dussin <peteyboy@eskimo.com> wrote:
>David Gerry (gerryman@user1.channel1.com) wrote:
>: Please help, I have a friend with an Apple IIe who wants to connect to 
>: the Internet, but she doesn't know what she needs for software to connect 
>: to a server for a shell account to use the WWW[...]
>
>I did the same thing with my Apple //c.  From all the comm programs I've
>seen, the best two are AGATE and Apple Kermit.  AGATE is nice because it
>supports zmodem transfers, which are faster.  Kermit it nice because it has
>good vt100 emulation and a dialer.
>
>Your friend needs a modem, obviously, and with most Apple term programs, at
>least the free ones I mentioned above, needs to learn the basic Hayes
>command set (ATDT, ATH, A/, mostly) in order to be able to dial.

AGATE has one feature that recommends it (real IBM graphics, which is nice
for board-hopping), but for everyday use on an 8-bit box (or even on a IIGS,
IMO) ProTERM beats anything else out there for performance and ease of use.

>There are places to get modem cables for <$15, and you can get an external
>2400 baud PC modem for less than $30.

If you're buying a 2400 these days, you're wasting your money.  You should
be able to get a no-name external V.32bis (14400) modem for under $100. 
(Hell, I've seen new-in-the-box Hayes and USRobotics V.32bis externals for
just over $100, so that should give you some idea what modem prices are
like.)  Just make sure you avoid RPI modems...they don't work worth a damn
on Apple IIs (they don't work particularly well on anything, actually).

>The problem is, of course, that you need a disk with a terminal program in
>order to be able to get a terminal program.

Not if you buy ProTERM, which is available from any Apple II mail-order
house or direct from the publisher.

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