<p>m&sdad,</p>
<p>Take a look at the price differential today. You'll find it's either very small or non-existent.</p>
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[quote]
There is no best or worst OS, IT is up to the individual user to find whats best for them. I use windows, though I am also a heavy user of FreeBSD as well as Solaris. Apple OSX is quite far from the first, and is also quite far from the worse in my terms, just average at best. Nothing special.
[/quote]
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<p>Even though I (and a lot of others here) think your top-down list of the quality of manufacturers is bullshiet, I say Amen to your closing.</p>
<p>Would one actually be required to have Internet at their home, or could s/he capture the internet frequencies from a different provider? What is the range of signal? Where can I find more info?</p>
<p>Please BUMMP now...</p>
<p>You don't necessarily need to have the wireless net installed in your home if you have a neighbor that doesn't have a secure signal; I'm not saying to do this..but it happens all the time. You can steal their signal.</p>
<p>Also, like someone else said, certain cities are offering free wireless internet to everyone; I don't know if any city has actually completely this task yet, but I know it's happening.</p>
<p>If you go to a hotel, most have free wireless internet now...</p>
<p>If you are talking about doing it in your home, you're going to need a cable company to come out and install the broadband technology; then you'll just need a wireless router to go along with the cable modem or DSL.</p>
<p>What is the approx. range of distance a laptop is capable reading a signal to process the wireless Internet connection?</p>