I don't surf muchly... And I just got online what, 7 months ago?
Having to ask to use my dad's dial-up does not count, it barely functions for e-mail, and any spare time was for downloading utilities, as I would have to schedule them to download overnight... if you're lucky, you get a steady 4KB/sec... if not, 1.5 - 2.5 KB/sec. The max is much higher, and it starts out at like 10KB/sec, but it won't hold, I think the ISP is crap. connects at 45-52 kbps, so that's not the issue. With my computer all tweaked out & a direct phone line to the outside phone box, I could get 54-56 kbps & if I was lucky, perhaps 5 or 6 KB/sec d'l. Dial-up FTL!