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How would you like a free Compaq Pentium computer? Or even a new iMac computer? Tired of paying $240 per year ($20 per month) for your Internet access? Get free Internet, or just e-mail. Really.

Here's how it works: If you're willing to give up some personal information, such as where you like to go on the Internet, how much you make a year, or if you're willing to put up with some advertising on your screen, then you're a perfect candidate to save some money.

If you have a computer with a modem, you can get free e-mail from Juno. You can get the software for free at http://www.juno.com, or you can call 800-654-Juno to order a startup disk. You'll be in good company since Juno has more than 6.5 million members. The only catch is that you can only send and receive e-mail, you can't browse the Web. I have a bunch of friends that don't want or need the Internet, or just didn't want to spend $240 per year, and love Juno.

If you're already on the Internet you can get another e-mail address at http://www.hotmail.com. More than 30 million people are using Hotmail for a permanent or second e-mail address. We use it for our nieces so they can have their own personal e-mail and won't be using my e-mail program for their private messages (and I won't be getting their e-mail messages either).

How can Juno and Hotmail give you "free" e-mail? With advertising. They show ads while you're reading your mail. It works like television, and the ads are a minor inconvenience compared to the $4.95 per month my Internet provider charges for additional e-mail accounts.

So, you're wondering how to get that free Compaq computer (When will he get to it?). What's being offered is a 333MHz model, with 32mb RAM, 4 GB hard disk (but you can only use 2 GB, a 33.6 modem, CD-ROM, Windows 98, and a 15" monitor. I've seen something similar advertised for $800, so how can they do it?

The site www.free-pc.com shows ads on your screen all the time, even when you're not on the Internet. They want to know quite a bit of information about you so they can "sell" your profile to advertisers, who are willing to pay a lot for targeted advertising. Compared to television advertising, where advertisers have to pay to market to a lot of people they don't want to hit, Net advertising is better for you, since you'll see ads only for products that interest you, and better for advertisers, who can now reach a more focused audience. They've already given their initial 10,000 away (they had almost 500,000 applicants), but expect to give many more away soon.

Don't confuse the offer for a free iMac with the Compaq offer. The site www.shopss.com is not giving away a computer, they are getting a $100-a-month commitment from you. You get the "free" $999 computer, by agreeing either to pay $100 per month for three years ($3,600) or spend $100 each month in their stores. However, these stores are weak and the offer seems more like a scam than a deal. I'd love a new iMac, but I can get a loan from the bank and still pay only 8% interest (or less) and save a lot more money.

My brother-in-law has been using www.freewwweb.com for about eight months and loves it. His initial cost was about $120, but he hasn't paid a dime for Internet access since then. Sure they've had their growing pains like any other ISP, but the service has been up for the majority of the time. The cost is for the software, which installs easily, and the service works well. A window shows ads on top of your Web browser, but otherwise the service is comparable to any other access company, offering access for 56k modems, local numbers in Danbury (and other areas), and the occasional busy signal.

The best free Internet access I've seen is www.netzero.com. This service is completely free: there is no setup charge or software to buy (except if you can't download the software and need to order the $6.95 setup CD), and the service works great. I've been on for about a week, and I have no complaints. Like freewwweb.com they show ads while you surf, but they want to know a little bit more about your household income, what you do for a living, and more. I'm impressed. Free Internet and e-mail, and I only pay with a small window of ads on my computer.

You can get something for nothing, but be prepared to share a bit about yourself. Just read the fine print on how they're going to use the information you give them. Is your personal information worth a free computer or Internet access? You decide. I've already sold out.