What You'll Need To Start Out

A personal computer - among the PCs, a 486 or Pentium; or Power Macintosh, System 7.6 or better.

A modem - at least a 28.8-kilobit-per-second modem. (The new 56 kbps modems are even faster, which translates into a shorter wait to download images.)

A Web browser - If you're buying a new computer, the browser will likely be included in the software. If you have a machine with an older version, you can download the latest software version free from these Web sites: www.Netscape.com and www.microsoft.com

An Internet account - You can get access via local (see Yellow Pages) or national Internet service providers (ISPs) such as AT&T WorldNet (800-967-5363) and Netcom (800-638-2661), or try America Online, with its free trial and easy-to-use features.