comments on review of Time Warner Cable → USB doesn't eliminate a TCP/IP stack

Whether you're connected via USB or via Ethernet, if you plan to use IP-based services like, duh, web sites, ftp sites, or anything else on the internet, you MUST have the TCP/IP stack installed in your OS.

The only difference is ethernet NIC driver versus usb modem driver. 100 to 1, I bet the NIC driver is smaller and more mature. Oh, well, better luck next time.