For what it's worth,I am on a 4 Meg cable connection with a P-4,1.8,XP Home Dell and I have to shut down LW (Pro) to be able to play on-line poker.If I leave it on I am about 20 seconds behind everybody else in the poker game (Party Poker) and have no time to bet. I have 388 RAM.So I'd say there are times when you have to shut it off.