Has anyone ever read "The Chronicles of George" website?
(chroniclesofgeorge.nanc.com)
Well, I swear EastLink has hired the female version of George!! When I asked her whether I could speak with her manager, the word that was running through my head was actually "tard wrangler."
Here is THE SAGA OF THE EASTLINK TECH SUPPORT CALL:
Ok. I told her about a fairly easy to understand problem:
Me: "When I download mail from the EastLink server, it seems to remain on the server because the same mail downloads over and over again. Then I get an error message."
She didn't understand. I proceeded to explain the process of how mail is downloaded from the server of an ISP. After several tries, she "sort of" understood what that involved. (at first, she ignored the bit about downloading and kept trying to "explain" to me about the wonderful delete button and how you had to use it if you wanted your saved mail to disappear)
Let me tell you. It got really frustrating.... finally, she came up with a "solution" though!! (see below)
Ms. George's diagnosis: "You have 'the virus.' Do you have Norton Anti-Virus?"
[note: notice that she doesn't say "which" virus or how it behaves...because she has no clue!!]
Me: "No. I have PC-Cillin."
Ms. George's solution: "Can you disable it?"
Me: "Yes. But what's that going to do to SOLVE MY PROBLEM???"
Oh freaking yeah!! If I actually *DID* have a virus, my solution would NOT be to disable my virus scanner!!!!!!!!!!
Ok. Then she finally suggested something credible. She asked me to check the settings on my email to see whether I was allowing mail to remain on the server after it's downloaded. Of course, I had checked this already (why bother the EastLink Tech-Tards if you can solve the problem yourself?), and determined that it was not the case. I even tested my hypothesis (that the problem had to be solved at the server) by downloading EastLink mail from my Hotmail addy, and the same thing happened (repeat downloads). I'm not a tech, but I can *at least* determine whether or not I have done everything I can on my end.
Without ever bothering to look at the mail on the server, this idiot decides that the problem is too complicated for her. I asked to speak with her supervisor (silent thought: tard wrangler??), but she said she would have to leave a note on my account and get someone else to deal with it tomorrow. Great. I'm working all day tomorrow and can't be here for a call from tech support.
So I hang up, totally exasperated. After a few minutes, I decide to call back again. Maybe I would get lucky and speak with someone with a triple digit IQ this time...
I was in luck! When Sonny answered the phone, I started off by asking one defining question:
Me: "Do you know how the process of downloading email from a server works?"
Sonny" "Uhhh....yess?" (had that tone of "I'm *supposed* to know that. Who doesn't?!")
Me: "Well the tech support person I just spoke with there didn't."
Sonny: "Oh." (had that tone of "I'm not allowed to say anything bad about the tard. So I'll shut up now.")
*exhale*
I repeat the explanation of the problem to the new guy.
Sonny: "And you already checked your account properties?"
Me: "Yeah. And I even tried downloading the mail through Hotmail to be sure the problem wasn't with Outlook."
Sonny: "Ok. I'll check the mail on the server..."
*DING! DING!*
He actually LISTENED to me!! I was amazed. It was more than the moron I had spoken with earlier had done. This guy seemed to know what he was doing!!! Amazing - that rarely happens at EastLink! Ask Dragoness to tell HER EastLink Tech-Tard story. She was told by another EastLink Tech-Tard that resetting an IP# (process literally takes seconds) would be at least a two day operation and she would have to be called back. Apparently, half of the people they hire are highly competent individuals and half of the people they hire just sit there with their thumbs in their @$$es and surf boy band sites all day (maybe they have a tard hiring quota?). Regardless, wouldn't you hate to be one of the competent ones? Always dealing with complaints about the Tech-Tards and doing their work for them because they're utterly useless and can't do it themselves.
Anyway, Sonny is silent for a few seconds, and then comes back on the line...
Sonny: "How many messages are you able to download before the error message?"
Me: "41 of 49."
Sonny: "Ok. There seems to be a corrupted message on the server, and that's what was causing the problem. If I delete message #42, then the problem should be solved."
*pause*
Me: "Excellent! I just downloaded the remainder of my mail with no repeats and no error message. THANKS!!"
Sonny: "Yeah. I also deleted messages 1 to 41, since you already downloaded them." [repeatedly, actually!]
He made sure I knew his name and told me to call him anytime, but mentioned that he doesn't normally work at night. I suggested that the bulk of the night shift must be people not used to dealing with actual problems (silent thought: tards). I considered emailing him the Chronicles of George to keep him busy tonight while he alternately laughs at and corrects the problems of his stupid co-worker. But then I realized that he probably has his hands full, dealing with the double workload he undoubtedly has thrust upon him by his Tech-Tard coworker.
AFTERTHOUGHT...
** Belated realization (did not think of this while I was speaking with the guy)...
Douglas Adams was right!!! (see coincidental # of the problem message)
Incidentally...I did not ad-lib that part or anything (those are the actual numbers directly quoted).