dial-up experiences (was Re: question aaout ISP's)

On 8 Aug 2008 at 11:20, Jules Richardson wrote: You can probably lay a good part of the blame on local and national codes. My parents' then-new house, built in the 1950s was constructed when the local electrical code called for thinwall conduit as the residential wiring type. If you've ever worked with the stuff, you know that you need to spend some time on layout-- there's not a lot of slop and anything other than a simple bend takes time. Generally, the outlets in a room were done octopus-style, with an octagonal junction box or two located somewhere in the ceiling with the legs terminating in wall outlet boxes. Great stuff and probably pretty fire-resistant. Holes are drilled for the most part through top and bottom plates, rather than wall studs. I was observing one of the McMansions in my area being wired not too long ago. Basically, a team comes in with big spools of 12 and 14 gauge Romex, a big box of staples and a Hole-hawg or two and get to drilling away, wherever it's convenient; sort of stream-of- consciousness wiring. Before the sheetrock and insulation goes on, it looks like hell. My own house has its share of "stream of consciousness" wiring, but it has a utilities plenum running the length of the building in the basement where all of the plumbing, heavy-gauge wiring and large heating ducts are run. So I'm better off than most. Cheers, Chuck