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There are three major areas of difference between DSL and cable.

DSL is a dedicated service, meaning that your bandwidth is not shared by others. With cable, your access is shared with other subscribers - your available bandwidth will vary with the time of day and the number of users on line at the same time.

DSL is often available as a Symmetric service - same speed up - same speed down. Cable is asymmetric - normally about 128 up and 2 meg down. Since the home consumer normally downloads more than they upload, cable has an advantage here. However, a business or a home user who has a web site may need a larger upload and that is when DSL might make more sence.

Lastly, customer service. This is the normal price, support, etc etc.

I would make the following generalization. If only one is available, go with that 'cause broadband is way better than dial up. However, if both are offered, normal home users will be happier with cable 'cause it is normally 10% to 20% lower in cost and provides faster download. However, there are other areas which might make DSL more attractive. Particularly to business customers.

In short - yeah they are about the same.

One other factor to consider in the DSL/Cable debate. (Actually two, interrelated) Who do you hate more - your phone company or your cable company (Does cable raise the rates every few months, who has the worst customer service, etc). Who is most reliable - same cable company, in one neighborhood the cable goes out every time there is a hard rain; nearby neighborhood the cable is solid as a rock. In one neighborhood, DSL is clearly superior, in the other, it's a wash.

Well, I agree with your conclusion, anyway ;)

DSL is a dedicated service, meaning that your bandwidth is not shared by others.

While this is true, the distinction is almost meaningless as a practical matter. Yes, with DSL you don't share bandwidth with your neighbors...until your connection gets to the CO, where you and your neighbors are all dumped onto the same trunk line, and you share bandwidth there. With cable, you share bandwidth in the neighborhood first, but eventually you're competing for bandwidth on DSL also.

DSL is often available as a Symmetric service - same speed up - same speed down. Cable is asymmetric - normally about 128 up and 2 meg down.

Again, this is mostly true. There are symmetric cable systems available, but it's not as common. And while SDSL is widely available, it's almost always more expensive (sometimes significantly so) than ADSL.

Lastly, customer service. This is the normal price, support, etc etc

Here, DSL providers and cable providers are roughly equal - they all really, really suck.

In short, I agree - they're roughly the same ;)