Colleagues and Resources, Just a Keystroke Away

Abstract

Few would argue with the fact that the computer is one of the most productive tools yet invented, and its usefulness is greatly increased with the addition of a modem for communication over standard telephone lines. The modem enhances our work by facilitating research and improving communication among professionals. It is a simple device that makes it possible to transmit and receive, over the phone line, information stored or typed in a computer. It is now possible to buy a very good 1200 baud modem, that is, one that transmits about 120 characters per second, for less than two hundred dollars. For practical purposes such speed should prove more than adequate. There are faster modems, but I would recommend investing in them only if you do a really large amount of telecommunicating. Some other things to bear in mind; the Hayes electronic design has become the defacto standard of the industry, and they have a very fine modem. Before making a purchase, however, you should probably also investigate other high quality Hayes-compatible modems that sell for less. Both internal and external modems will work very well. Internal ones are installed inside computers that have expansion slots. The external models plug into an interface or the computer itself, and they are more expensive; they may also require more costly installation-and they sometimes take up desk space. Nevertheless, there are a few advantages such as instant reset if one should jamand portability from one computer to another. If you have available expansion slots, the less costly internal modem should be considered. I have used one for