ComScat

If you're really observant, you noticed I got rid of the ComCast link. (If you actually noticed that, I'm impressed.) I'm angry with ComCast specifically, and cable companies in general. The part that made me angry is only partially due to ComCast, but they're bearing the brunt of my rage right now. See, I hate the phone. Hate it. I'd rather sit bare-assed on a cactus in 120 degree heat than talk on the phone in an air conditioned room. (I apologize for the mental image, but I trust my point is made.) On three separate occasions this week, for three very different things, I've been to websites to contact people at businesses for one reason or another. Now, I'm a geek. I understand websites to a certain degree and I appreciate a good one when I see it. I'm also of the opinion that if you have a business in this day and age, you need to have a decent website. Not just a website, but a decent website. Not every website can have every bit of information on it, so a decent business website must also have some sort of e-mail link on it. Whether it opens an embedded message system or opens your e-mail application... doesn't matter. It just needs to be there. One such site this week had me digging through no less than four pages and four domains before I could find a link to send my e-mail. By that time my question had become a rant. My bank's website has an e-mail link, and I sent them a question this week as well. They replied to me via e-mail... with a canned response that told me to call someone. Nope. If I send you an e-mail and you send me a message that tells me to call, then you just took a huge step closer to losing me as a customer. If you don't have the capacity to solve a problem via e-mail, then don't put the link on the page. Bastards.

As for ComCast... their website sucks. My first e-mail communication with them was to tell them that their website was abysmal. They've got a racket as far as their pricing is concerned, because they really don't have competition. For my readers in the Long Island area, I tell you honestly that Cablevision kicks ass. If for no other reason than they do not charge extra if you have more than one computer and would like each computer to have its own IP address. (I know at least two of you understand my rage over this.)

I'm getting to the point where I'm going to start an online petition about cable companies. Nationwide. I know they have the technology to do certain things, but they just don't bother. Even though it would greatly increase their customer base. (Out here, anyway.) If anybody in the cable biz wants to e-mail me for some free ideas, go for it.

Until then, I'm shopping for a better deal. Too bad it means we'll have to move to get it. Friggin' monopoly.