As soon as I saw that Microsoft was planning to make “updates” and “downloads” automatic for Windows 10, I knew it was going to be trouble. I had managed to completely evade Windows 8 and 8.5. I had stuck with… Read More ›
Customer Service
YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS UP – DIRECT TV AND KAFKA – BY TOM CURLEY
The following story is true. The names have not been changed because I didn’t really get any of them anyway. I’ve had Optimum cable as my TV, telephone and internet service for years. My cell phone provider was Verizon. I… Read More ›
WHEN YOU COULD LOOK IT UP IN A BOOK
Last night, someone I actually know and who should know better, complained the camera company from whom he bought his camera should fire the tech writer. Because there was no manual. I felt obliged to point out the reason there… Read More ›
AND FINALLY, THE COMPUTER IS FIXED. ENTIRELY. FIXED.
I installed the new operating system, taking everything down to zero. Rebuilt both drives. Added software for documents and photography. Added the plug-ins that I use more than the software. Added back all my photographs, then deleted half of them… Read More ›
STUPIDIZATION
Thinking is out of fashion. Brains are dead gray lumps of matter. They have no use, but are merely taking up space inside our skulls. How do I know this? Last week Charter turned off first our cable box, then,… Read More ›
ADVENTURES WITH CHARTER CUSTOMER SERVICE
It started out to be a bummer of a day and went downhill from there. We were not watching the inauguration. Pointedly not watching the inauguration. We had been planning all month to not watch the inauguration, so we hadn’t… Read More ›
WHERE’S MY PACKAGE? RECONSTRUCTING AN EVENT
It’s the season of so many things, but one of the biggest is shopping online. This is when we need packages to arrive on time. So, of course, this is exactly when they are most likely to disappear. I got three… Read More ›
COMPUTERS, SOFTWARE, GUNS, AND US: NOT A RANT, JUST A RAMBLE
Yesterday, I tried to download a book from my Audible.com library and got a message telling me I didn’t have adequate permission. I’ve been an Audible member since 2002 and I’m pretty sure I have more than adequate permissions. I… Read More ›
THE AGENTS IN THE DELL – A THURSDAY RANT
I wasn’t going to bother to write this because you’ve heard it before. And you’ll hear it again. The same old sad story. Dell makes some amazing computers — yet they have what must be the worst customer service on the planet…. Read More ›
IT’S OBVIOUS … ISN’T IT?
It ought to be obvious. If you deluge potential customers or contributors with email, whether imploring them for donations or reminding them of your products, eventually they will run away. Unsubscribe. Detach. The first time this happened, I had made the near-fatal… Read More ›
CUSTOMER — EMPHASIS ON — SERVICE
Our internet connection went down today. I figured it was a routine need to reboot the router and modem, which I did. Still no connection. A few more tries … and still no internet. And no telephone, since our telephone… Read More ›
I NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THROUGH VOICE MAIL
Of all the skills I never acquired, the ability to cut through the dreaded recorded message: “The staff are currently assisting other customers. Please hold on. We appreciate you patience,” is a major failure. I would have more patience if I… Read More ›
IT’S THE PHONE …
There’s a myth circulating that senior citizens are up with the birds and asleep before sunset. An entire culture has been built on “Early Bird Specials,” because old people supposedly eat dinner by 4 pm. I eat around four, but I call it… Read More ›
PRESS ONE FOR INSANITY
Garry got his “Microsoft is ready for your download to Windows 10” notification. It came in yesterday — less than 24 hours after we got the upgrade flag. This must be a record for speedy responses from Microsoft. I haven’t gotten mine. I… Read More ›
DO YOU REMEMBER?
WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO I MISS? I DON’T MISS TECHNOLOGY. I MISS CIVILIZATION. Telephones on which both you and the party to whom you were speaking could hear each other. Sound tracks on movies where dialogue was louder than background music…. Read More ›
AND THEN HE SAID …
I’m on the phone with CVS. My husband’s prescription had never made it to wherever it needs to be to become a bottle of pills he can purchase and take home. It started when we went to see the doctor about… Read More ›
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 