Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

**WARNING! LONG POST. READ ONLY WHEN BORED!**

I'm finally back on-line so I thought I'd celebrate by posting on VC (I wish I could find that life...I know it's around here somewhere...). I was actually on-line as of 4:00pm but I've spent the past 7 1/2 hours erasing my hard drive and re-installing all my software. It started with my telling the Internet Installation Man (we'll call him Chub for short) that I didn't want him installing anything on my computer because everything I needed was on it already. So Chub says that's fine and starts installing an outlet near my computer. He seems to know enough about drilling holes into my wall so I go upstairs to change my son. After my son is changed and given some juice I come downstairs to find Chub sitting at my computer installing his crap software. So I ask him if he remembers me asking him not to install anything on my computer. He says, "Yeah. I'm just installing the minimum setup so your computer can use the modem." I (politely) informed him that he gave me the impression of being an idiot and (again very politely) asked him to sit down so he didn't screw anything else in the house up. I then pointed out the Internet Setup Assistant prominently displayed on my desktop. He apparently wasn't in the mood to help me set up the IP address, etc. and told me that they wouldn't support anything but their own browser. So I called the tech support line and set everything up while he watched. After hanging up I thanked him for his time and he went merrily on his way. My question is why do people feel the need to molest other people's property just because they call themselves an expert? Are these the same people who develop software that leave crap all over my computer so I can go folder diving when I want to delete it? Same thing goes for Doctors as well. If I have a viral infection (e.g. the flu or the common cold) I sure don't need an antibiotic. But they still give the prescription regardless (which doesn't get filled). I wish these people would realize they aren't dealing with their own property and treat it accordingly. I feel slightly vindicated using Chub's bandwidth against him. Thanks for the space on VC to fume. My signature is a bit more appropriate for this post, don't you think?

[Edited by dick-richardson on 01-18-2001 at 01:38 AM]

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 284

Ah, yes. I can understand the frustration. I've been there, and as I'm having RoadRunner installed soon, I'll probably be there again.

quote:

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My question is why do people feel the need to molest other people's property just because they call themselves an expert?

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You've partially answered your own question here. Since they consider themselves experts, they feel they know more about the particular subject than anyone else, and therefore people should just listen to what they have to say or do things their way.

Another possibility is that this guy really doesn't know anything, and this is just what his supervisor directed him to do. In this case, this is probably the more likely of the two (but hopefully not the case with doctors. )

Fortunately, not everyone's this way, but the population does seem to be increasing.

quote:

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I feel slightly vindicated using Chub's bandwidth against him.

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The problem is: You didn't. He'll probably see it as getting paid for doing nothing.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

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Originally posted by sowens

quote:

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I feel slightly vindicated using Chub's bandwidth against him.

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The problem is: You didn't. He'll probably see it as getting paid for doing nothing.

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: bright side of the moon.
Posts: 996

Reminds me of one of my favourite quotes:

"There are two kinds of people who never amount to much: those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else."

Cyrus Curtis



That pretty much says it all.

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Ever feel like the train left while you were busy reading the paper?

Stealth-Mod.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by Hoser_in_USA
Reminds me of one of my favourite quotes:

"There are two kinds of people who never amount to much: those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else."

Cyrus Curtis



That pretty much says it all.

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Registered: Nov 1999
Location: bright side of the moon.
Posts: 996

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby

This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

"There are two types of people: those who divide people into two types, and those who don't." - Barth's Distinction

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This reminds me of one of my other favourite quotes:

"Smartass!"

- my girlfriend

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Ever feel like the train left while you were busy reading the paper?

Stealth-Mod.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

This is an easy one...most ISPs hire complete idiots. Not sure why, but they do.

As for the Telcos (Cable and DSL modems) you typically have VERY few of the trained staff taking training courses on the new technology. There is little incentive for these people to learn the new stuff, as it probably means more unpaid overtime.

I had a LONG ordeal with USWest when I was telling them that my DSL was down. They INSISTED that my DSL was down because I had never installed their software. When I asked WHAT software that may be, they said "Netscape". I immediately hung up and went and found another ISP.

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We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

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Originally posted by homer
This is an easy one...most ISPs hire complete idiots. Not sure why, but they do.

As for the Telcos (Cable and DSL modems) you typically have VERY few of the trained staff taking training courses on the new technology. There is little incentive for these people to learn the new stuff, as it probably means more unpaid overtime.

I had a LONG ordeal with USWest when I was telling them that my DSL was down. They INSISTED that my DSL was down because I had never installed their software. When I asked WHAT software that may be, they said "Netscape". I immediately hung up and went and found another ISP.

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I might have job oportunities besides directing bands after graduation after all. I wasn't aware that you needed to have Netscape installed to use DSL. I have to have AppleWorks installed to use my scanner. And if I don't have the right background wallpaper on my desktop my printer doesn't work. And I'm not even going to mention what I had to install to get PalmDesktop working . Good call finding another ISP.

BTW, Toby, Hoser, that's enough. I'll tell James on you.

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 58

I had exact same experience with installation of @Home. (Service works great BTW) The installer said he had to put the software on my machine. I said I didn't want it, he said he is "contractually obligated" to do it. I have never used the software and I didn't need it to get set up.

The thing that really got me though, was how "abusive" he was to my system. He was slamming the keyboard, slamming the mouse, going hog wild trying to show off how fast a typer and "keyboard shortcut- user" he was. All while telling me how great the homemade, liquid cooled system he is building at home is and how much faster than mine it will be.

But, hey, it was a free installation offer.... so I suffered through it. One good piece of advice he gave me was to hook my Cable modem to my two computers using Linksys 4 port Firewall/Router... I did, and it works like a charm.

In empathy

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NJ
Posts: 517

I was lucky when the guy came to install my @home cable service. He was contracted to do the installation, he didn't know much about computers and even less about Macs, so I did all the computer related stuff while he attempted to help me . The installation wasn't without problems (it took 3 days for my cable modem to sync!) but at least I didn't have to deal with some moron "expert".

dick-richardson- did you change your e-mail address in your VC profile to your new one?

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

I have the same problem with Verizon DSL and my Ugate 3000. They won't support anything except their own "junk" software which installs a myriad of useless drivers and other unnecessary software. So to fix this situation, I have a "dummy" hard drive I keep around. When I know one of these "YUM-YUM's" is coming to frig with my PC or I have to deal with techs on the phone, I let them chew on the "dummy" hard disk. Once I'm done dealing with the "YUM-YUM", I shut down my PC and put the real hard disk back in and do what is really needed. (I got the term YUM-YUM from my academic advisor in college, the man always had the right words for any occasion!)

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

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Originally posted by lennonhead
I was lucky when the guy came to install my @home cable service. He was contracted to do the installation, he didn't know much about computers and even less about Macs, so I did all the computer related stuff while he attempted to help me . The installation wasn't without problems (it took 3 days for my cable modem to sync!) but at least I didn't have to deal with some moron "expert".

dick-richardson- did you change your e-mail address in your VC profile to your new one?

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 58

I got the 2 guy team for my install! The computer guy was the obnoxious one. The "cable" guy was "all business"-- in fact he left when his part was done so that he could go to their next stop and begin the install early.

I second opinion on cable.... after the fact, tech support has been great and service has been reliable.

Don't forget to test your connection at http://www.dslreports.com

They have some good tweaks to make sure you have an connection optimized for broadband. This made HUGE difference in my download speed.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

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I got the 2 guy team for my install! The computer guy was the obnoxious one. The "cable" guy was "all business"-- in fact he left when his part was done so that he could go to their next stop and begin the install early.

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__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

quote:

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Originally posted by dick-richardson

quote:

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I must've gotten a jack-of-all-trades. How lovely.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Pleasanton, CA
Posts: 253

Evil Twin...

Chub must have been the evil twin of the guy who came out to install my Earthlink DSL (acutally PacBell). The installer who came out to my house did fine with the cable part, then had this blank look when it came to the computer software installation.

I wasn't at home at the time, my husband was telling me this over the phone during the install. Hubby said that the tech had a few questions...The tech gets on the phone and turns out he had never seen a Mac before, let alone installed software on one.

I told him to not touch anything (read: "Step away from the computer and leave...") Of course he didn't listen and by the time I got home (over an hour) my little Mac was dead. I kicked the jerk out of my house and headed to ComputerWare for OS 9.

It took two hours to reinstall the system software, DSL software and update a few apps. It would have taken 15 minutes if that creep hadn't messed with my baby...

Sigh, I hate that type of know-it-all...

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Queen of Parts

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

What get's me is how incredibly easy it actually IS to get dsl working on a Mac. Open TCP/IP, enter the info. Done.

I just hate these software apps that have a 20 screen wizard to do the exact same thing.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

Coming from the WINTEL perspective it's also fairly easy if you do it the right way. However, VERIZON wants you to install some kind of PPPOE network software, add VPN (virtual private networking) drivers and use (an old) hacked version of Netscape.. This is obviously the WRONG way. Not only did their DSL software muck-up my "dummy" drive, (which is why I have it in the first place), It trashed the newer installation of Netscape I had on the dummy drive, and to add insult to injury, also (significantly) slowed down the overall performance of the network connection. (my PC is a 700mhz 128mb ram system!) Add to this, you could only have one computer on the DSL line. Since I am using a network sharing device/firewall (Ugate 3000) it deals with the PPPOE/VPN garbage for me, so I don't have to have their junk on my system, the performance is much, much, much faster, and I can run all 7 systems I have here at the same time including a LINUX box! (tell them you are running a LINUX machine, you thought having a MAC caused the doughnut effect (all glaze) with the "YUM-YUM" cable/dsl "techs"!)

A buddy of mine just canceled his Verizon DSl and went with another (cheaper + more speed) company, and guess what, since these people had a clue, he didn't need to install the crap that Verizon forces you to. Plug and go, didn't really need to install any extra. They also support various platforms. The company makes the difference!

Another thing that freaks these YUM-YUMs out is my company installed a separate ISDN line (pre DSL technology) at my home a few years back, so with the hubs, cables and boxes etc.., they get very twitchy when they get here! I used to hide this stuff, but I found it seems to keep them in check, on a few occasions, they have said "You obviously know me than me.. You can do it this (part) if you want yourself!"

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

Humm.. Looks like I am not the only one who feels this way about Verizon DSL:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/16204.html

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

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Originally posted by homer
What get's me is how incredibly easy it actually IS to get dsl working on a Mac. Open TCP/IP, enter the info. Done.

I just hate these software apps that have a 20 screen wizard to do the exact same thing.

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__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.