So, we’re now in the fast lane of the information superhighway instead of plodding along on the far right while everyone else goes zooming by.
The install wasn’t quite trivial. The process hung up about 4/5 of the way through, so I uninstalled everything and tried over from scratch. However, something was registered that didn’t get de-registered so the reinstall didn’t go through the same procedure. In fact, it left out one very crucial step. We ended up with a live connection but couldn’t access the internet. I tried several things to diagnose the problem on my own, including the provider’s “live chat.”
After a 3-5 minute wait to be connected, I was greeted by someone named Raymond. Raymond, from all indications, was supposed to be a real person. However, after a few exchanges, I felt like I was in one of my own short stories. The one called Eliza, in fact, which was inspired by an old TRS-80 program from Radio Shack where you type something in and the program triggers on key words or phrases and responds. Artificial intelligence in its infancy. I expanded on this when I wrote Eliza, using more contemporary technology. The experience was a little bit dizzying and circular and I gave up in frustration after a few minutes when it seemed apparent to me that I was just mining a knowledge database rather than speaking to a human being. If I was talking to a real person, I apologize, Raymond, but you need to brush up on your communications skills!
On the other hand, the live support that I finally resorted to was stellar. I had to call them twice yesterday and on both occasions, after about 30 seconds of negotiating voice-activated menus, I was connected to a knowledgeable human being who was able to respond to my questions quickly and promptly. If I had gone that route immediately, I could have had my problem solved in 2 minutes instead of banging my head against the monitor all day. Turns out I would likely never have rectified the situation on my own. The install had failed to program the access codes into our DSL/WiFi modem.
Problems notwithstanding, the experience with this new provider has been exemplary, and if anyone has qualms about SBC Yahoo DSL, I’d recommend ’em.
Lost was great last night. I had one of those omigod moments when Kate discovered the beard and theatrical props in a locker. Their decision to use the flashbacks to give island backstory instead of pre-island backstory was inspired, too, and it was fun to see more of Ethan. Alas, we have to wait at least two more weeks to find out what happens next with Mr. Gale in the locked room, but I’m changing my mind about him—I originally believed he was telling the truth, but after the way he started playing Locke last night I’m not so sure.
