Actually, slow download speed of dialup is one reason I keep more windows open -- Instead of following a link and then clicking the "back" button, I click "open in background" and continue reading the page I was already on. Then when I get around to looking at the window the new page is in, with any luck it will have finished arriving. Also, I don't have to wait for the first page to re-render when I go back to it. The problem is when I get so many windows open that I'm trading CPU/RAM issues for bandwidth issues. (Of course, many of those get left open because "I'm not done with this yet but don't have the concentration to want to deal with snipping it for my quotes file with linkage and attribution and stuff" or similar.)
The other thing I do is, as you suggested, to do something local while waiting for a page to download. But it has to be something short enough, or something that chops up into small pieces of time well. If the machine itself is being slow, not just the modem, then it's good to be able to do the local stuff on another machine (which, as soon as I figure out what the $&%^ is wrong with the 95 box, I will be able to do again).
Actually, slow download speed of dialup is one reason I keep more windows open -- Instead of following a link and then clicking the "back" button, I click "open in background" and continue reading the page I was already on. Then when I get around to looking at the window the new page is in, with any luck it will have finished arriving. Also, I don't have to wait for the first page to re-render when I go back to it.
That's what I do all the time (although not to the extent of 73 pages open) with a tabbed browser, and I've got a fast connection. You still won't want to wait for pages to load.
Dialup Strategies
The other thing I do is, as you suggested, to do something local while waiting for a page to download. But it has to be something short enough, or something that chops up into small pieces of time well. If the machine itself is being slow, not just the modem, then it's good to be able to do the local stuff on another machine (which, as soon as I figure out what the $&%^ is wrong with the 95 box, I will be able to do again).
Re: Dialup Strategies
That's what I do all the time (although not to the extent of 73 pages open) with a tabbed browser, and I've got a fast connection. You still won't want to wait for pages to load.