ISPs allowing desktop Linux client to surf the web?

[david_a_reed-fZsAqLoOLWc at public.gmane.org]

Although I've used desktop Linux (SuSe, Knoppix, Ubuntu) for various accounting functions for ten years and have been running Apache web servers on RHEL for nearly as long, my personal web surfing has always been via Windows.  Now I would like to surf the web from a Linux client (Ubuntu or Puppy), I'm wondering if there are any Linux-friendly ISPs servicing the Boston-to-Cape Cod area. 

When I Google "Linux-friendly ISP" the only one I come up with is Eskimo.com in the state of Washington.  As far as I can tell, Comcast and Verizon require Windows or Mac on the client machine.  Is that on account of the hardware that they provide?

Also, am I correct in assuming that a Linux client with a dial-up 56K modem should be able to use any service provider?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave