dial-up internet "accelerators" - a scam...?? real...??

[Tubaryan12]

In short: No.

In the past, these programs only set aside room on your hard drive to pre-load artwork from websites that you frequent. That way, your computer would only have to load the new content. It would not help you download new content any faster.

[Dan Schultz]

Joe... I just 'dumped' my old dial-up. I've had cable for some time but kept the dial-up account active 'just in case'. Anyway... they offered an add-on called 'Revved' for free with their service. Basically, the program diminished the graphics relative to the speed settings you designated. It's pretty nifty and really did help. And... it always had the option of downloading the full graphics for individual pictures.

Here's the 'poop' on it: http://www.henderson.net/memberservices/revved/

And... by-the-way... Revved has nothing to do with saving cached pages. It just messes with the graphics.

[jacojdm]

Buy the pies.

[Tubaryan12]

... they offered an add-on called 'Revved' for free with their service. Basically, the program diminished the graphics relative to the speed settings you designated. It's pretty nifty and really did help. And... it always had the option of downloading the full graphics for individual pictures.

I completely forgot about that type. Netzero used to offer one that did that as well.

[Rochester2013]

Before I subscribed to Roadrunner I had earthlink dial-up service. I also got the "earthlink accelerator" which was free with the "premium dial-up service." It claimed speeds up to 7x faster. When I turned the service on I did notice a slight speed up of service. It was nice, because it had a ticker at the bottom of my screen that told me how much time I was saving by using the accelerator as well as how many Mb/sec my internet was running at.

[Matt G]

Bandwidth is fixed, and you can't supersede that. Everyone so far is right in that these programs will either alter your internet options as to image content (configurable already) or create extra temp folders to draw from to use existing HDD memory to accelerate the "download" speed.

[Uncle Buck]

bloke "who NEVER allows ANYONE to 'let' me try ANYTHING 'free for a month'..."

From someone whose day job is in the consumer protection business (trying to get people their $$ back after they get ripped off), I just want to say that bloke's mantra is EXCELLENT advice.

Sorry, I can't add any insight to the original question.

[tubashaman2]

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[TUBAD83]

Thanks for the replies so far.

They're telling me (at least the guy from Hindustan...or wherever... is telling me) that they'll send me a c.d. with the program on it, I can try it free for a month, and once I determine that it's a load of crap (before the month is over) I can email or call them and they won't charge me for it...

bloke "who NEVER allows ANYONE to 'let' me try ANYTHING 'free for a month'..."

Another "legal scam" to separate you from your money. I'm sure you have better uses for your $5. The only way to truly improve your dialup connection is to move up to dsl, cable or satellite (having tried all 3, cable is the most reliable IMO).

JJ