> What is the next step?  /tmp/ppp-report shows only a bunch of lines of
> "Closing "/tmp/ppp-report"."  I don't know why.  /tmp/chat-script has all the
> proper variables substituted for, so that would not seem to be a problem.
> Since I had to enter the phone number, userid and password, I would assume
> it's going to dial for me.  Is this not true?  Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Probably nothing - it looks like chat isn't getting to the modem.  I've 
had this problem before, and the "fix" is to toggl power a couple of 
times on the modem!  That causes an interrupt or two on the serial line 
and then things will start working, usually.

> Completely unrelated question:  I've seen people mention using a "panic button"
> when their system goes haywire.  It doesn't sound like they're referring to
> the old three-finger-salute (command-control-reset), so what is it?

Some systems, like the Mac IIci, have a "programmer's switch" which 
causes an interrupt that drops you into the debugger.