At least for my wife's parents. About a year ago, they called their ISP to cancel their service and bought cell phones instead. If they need to use the Internet, they walk to the library.

They're in their late 50's. They live in rural Ohio. The Internet was fun at first, a chance to e-mail their kids, to see what all the fuss was about. They were one of the first families on their block to have dial-up, at a robust $30 per month. The price has fallen, but not as much as their interest in being online.

Two years ago I helped my mother in law set up a new Yahoo account as her old mailbox was choked with spam, much of it highly offensive to her. Web browsing had become a peep show. Ultimately, from what I can piece together, a virus rendered them unable to dial up. Nowadays, she only uses that old 60 MHz Pentium to listen to CDs while she's folding laundry and to type up her son's football pool.

The telephone is a technology they understand. They love Caller ID. They love each having their own voicemail. They love having everyone's numbers in their phones. They love being able to carry them around. They recently pulled the plug on their land line.

Sure, I could have encouraged them to read my friend's book, to keep fighting. But from 1000 miles away, I like that when they call me now, it's just to chat.