Chapter seven. Making the Connection

IN THIS CHAPTER

Configuring Windows XP for Your Internet Account 178

Understanding Broadband Internet 181

Sharing an Internet Connection 183

The Bottom Line 187

The Internet has been around long enough to be an important part of most people's lives. Can you imagine trying to get by without e-mail, or without your favorite Web sites? I certainly can't.

You might not remember this, but Microsoft was slow to embrace the Internet. It wasn't until Bill Gates personally got turned on to the Net and then forced everyone who worked for him to open their eyes to the online world that Microsoft started taking the Internet seriously.

That was then, this is now.

Today, if Microsoft had their way, they'd own the entire Internet. (You can never accuse Bill Gates and crew of thinking small!) The entire company is in the midst of their .NET initiative, which aims to turn all their traditional software programs into Web-based applications. To date, they've tried to integrate the Internet into as many of their products as possible in whatever ways they can come up with.

This Web integration is everywhere in Windows XP. From the initial installation, where Windows uses the Internet to both activate and register the operating system, to the Help and Support section (covered in Chapter 22, "Getting Help"), which kicks you out to the Web when you need advanced help, Windows depends on the Internet.

In fact, it's hard to imagine using Windows XP without being hooked up to the Internet. If you're not connected, there's so much you can't do. You can't get automatic updates to the OS. You can't search for missing or outdated drivers. You can't contact Microsoft if you need help. (Okay, you could try calling them but good luck getting through on those overloaded technical support lines!)

Most importantly, if you're not connected to the Internet, you can't do everything else you've grown accustomed to doing online, which is as good a reason as any for Microsoft to make it as easy as possible for you to get connected directly from the operating system.