MAFP Foundation and Allina
Health System Internet Training
http://www.fpen.org/allina
Box Lunch: Choosing the Right Tools
Bold
School, Olivia, Minnesota
August 28, 1998
Internet Service Providers
- Getting Connected - http://dragon.labmed.umn.edu/~john/fp/net/connect.html
- Written by John Faughnan, M.D. and Bob Elson, M.D. A good starting point and, for the
person who wants an answer quickly, a good ending point. Both are local Minnesotans
and have experience with rural as well as national access.
- The List - http://thelist.internet.com
- The oldest and most comprehensive listing of Internet Service Providers listing over
4500 of them. Can be searched by state or area code. Can be overwhelming if you start
here.
- Concentric Network - http://www.concentric.net
- A national ISP that may be best for a person lives in a rural community yet wishes to
have a national ISP.
- EarthLink Network - http://www.earthlink.net
- Another excellent national ISP. The default ISP with Mac System 8. Among the best in
Macintosh support. Strong Windows support.
- MindSpring Enterprises Inc. - http://www.mindspring.com
- Highly rated ISP. National. Good support for Windows users, poor for Macintosh users.
Computer Stores
- Buying a Windows Desktop Personal Computer - http://dragon.labmed.umn.edu/~john/papers/pcbuy.html
- By John Faughnan, M.D. and Bob Elson, M.D. There are more options that what they
talk about here but you will not go wrong by following their advice. Prices for some
items are out of date. Again, a good starting point and, for the person who wants an
answer quickly, a good ending point.
- Apple - http://www.apple.com/store
- Easy to use computers, have become more competitive with Intel / Windows machines.
Smaller number of software packages available.
- Compaq - http://www.compaq.com
- One of the larger companies. Going through merger pains now that it bought Digital and
equipment overstock. The in-house Allina standard for desktop PCs so you might be able to
get it cheap through but you may do better avoiding Compaq as an individual.
- Hewlett-Packard - http://www.hp.com
- Recently released a new notebook computer "Sojourn". Light (3.2 lbs) and
powerful. If thinking about a portable, you should look at this one for comparison as well
as the new IBM 600 series. HP rated highest in customer satisfaction by ComputerWorld.
- Micron - http://www.micronpc.com
- Have a local outlet here in Minneapolis as a result of a buy-out (Northgate or Zeos, I
forget which). Produced in Idaho. An up and coming company. Good computers with good
support at a good price. Recommended by John Faughnan, M.D. and Bob Elson, M.D.
- Dell - http://www.dell.com
- Have given Compaq a run for their money for years. Commonly considered the other
corporate standard, Dell made its mark by pioneering the sale of its products directly to
the consumer eliminating the middleperson. By and large a dependable company with
good products at competitive prices.
- Packard Bell - http://www.packardbell.com
- I am not as down on these machines as many "geeks" are. Have known folks who
have had good luck with them. Recent models have seemed well designed. Are available at
Sam's Club cheap. Assume you are on your own when it comes to support.
