[bitcharmer]

Your whole comment is hilarously incorrect because overwhelming majority of windows users never intentionally installed it. It just came pre-installed with their new laptop. The exact scenario you invoke with a DSL device.

[Sporktacular]

Do you have stats on that? I would imagine if you swapped it out with linux or BSD they would have something to say about why all their apps aren't available. It's a choice.

A modem's application is the one thing it does and the interface is an abstraction layer standardised enough that the modem could be replaced in a shoe closet without anyone even noticing.