So seeing how I am moving to another country soon, I have obviously attempted to make arrangements for having my internet and TV lines disconnected. This has been a rather intresting display of complete incompetence from the staff at UPC.
The story begins with their website, which has these words of wisdom for the FAQ entry for cancelling and account "Call us on xxxxxxxx". So I did. I then sat for 30min waiting, while listening to a pleasantly calm, female voice telling me that if I had any unresolved issues I could call them. On the number which I had just used. "Please press 1 to press one." No shit sherlock...
After sitting for a good 20 minutes waiting, I was finally allowed to trudge my way through the abysmal phone system and talk to a support agent. At which point I was informed that in order to cancel my UPC account I had to specifically send them a regular, old-fashioned letter stating that I wanted the account closed. This she said, after spending 10min taking down everything from address to account number to confirm my identity.
Ok, so I send a letter. To the Internet Service Provider. I describe the exact dates I will be leaving, the dates I would like my connection terminated, my understanding of their ridiculous TOS and when they can pick up their routers and other crap. All of which should, must and have to take place at the end of the month, so I have time to do all the things I need to deal with in order to move country.
I then get a call from their technicians confirming that they will be picking it up. 3 weeks prior to the date I have requested. I say no. I then get a call from their sales department confirming that the connection will be terminated 2 weeks before the, now agreed with the technician, date. 1 week later I get *another* call from a technician saying they will be around to pick up their items later that day. While I am working.
Is the pattern beginning to show yet?
Over the next 2 weeks I get 2 more calls from technicians asking why I am not in when they try to pick up stuff. Each time I go over the situation. I want the connection removed on the 29th and the items picked up the 31st. Each time they state a completely different date and claim that "it has already been agreed on with you".
This Monday, I get back from work only to find my internet dead, my TV stating my line is terminated and no warning. Calling tech support (again spending 30min trying to get through) I sit for a good 20min while the support personnel try to save their own ass and pass the buck onto someone else.
Finally I am transferred to sales, which are adamant that unless a date is agreed upon already, it is standard procedure to cut the connection a month after the letter is received. Apparently completely ignoring anything that is actually written in the letter, alongside any agreements already made.
At this point my patience is getting somewhat thin, so I simply tell them to get my f**king crap back online if they want their money. A few hours later I can finally get online as well as watch TV again. I then ring their techie department specifically to arrange the pickup of my router and TV box from my rental agency.
Yesterday they called me. Again. Asking when I would be home so they could pick up their god-forsaken shit boxes. I told them to sod off and not call me again ever since things were already arranged.
If you are using UPC, prepare for more stress caused by UPC then by your entire family dying right in front of you if you ever try to cancel it and if you live in Ireland and are looking for a solid internet connection, stay the hell away from the company UPC.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Back in the saddle
So, some of you (all 2 of you that I think reads this :P) have probably noticed that I stopped posting here...
I could come up with a bunch of excuses for this, work being crazy, preparing to move back home to Denmark and tons of other reasons, but the truth is it the inspiration simply has not been there. I run this post as my own little sanctuary so if I don't have anything to write down well.... nothing will be written down.
But, today I do have something to post about. This weekend, Assembly 2011 was run in Finland, a large media-arts convention that over the years have grown into a central avenue for E-sports, in particular this years Starcraft 2 tournament, bringing some of Europe's best players together for a weekend of challenges and matches. I had the immense pleasure of watching this being streamed live by Total Biscuit and co-commentated by Starcraft 2 E-sports player, dApollo. I highly recommend checking out TBs Youtube channel by the way, he is incredibly entertaining, even if you aren't that interested in video games. Check him out at http://www.youtube.com/user/TotalHalibut
Well, that was kind of a long-winded introduction to what I actually wanted to talk about, critique. We've all felt the harsh sting of truth when people tell us we suck at something and we've all felt the desire to defend ourselves.
However, looking at the chat during the livestream, I saw too many damn idiots complaining that this and that player "sucked".
Now sucking at something is an objective statement. Either one is good at something or one is not, so I consider it odd that people, who for one reason or another, wants to denigrate others in this fashion. What is it about success that makes people so keen to criticize others? Stephano, a world class SC2 player does not suck. Do you know how I know this? Because he plays the damn game in an environment where the top prize is 8000 Euro. A massive sum of money for a weekends dedicated gaming.
And yet, both him and so many others are often named as crap players.
I suck at Starcraft 2 miltiplayer. Do you know why? Because I've played all of 3 matches in total, none of which I won. The people who play Tennis, soccer, paint or play video games at such an incredible level that they are often capable of making a living out of it, does not, in any sense of the term, suck at what they do.
What is it about humans that makes us so incapable of accepting the success of our peers? Is it some vague aspiration to elevate ourselves above all others? Or simply a desire to lash out at anyone that could be construed as superior at something. I don't know, but this problem flourishes to a dangerous degree on the internet, where you can criticize someone as much as you want, using as many personal insults as you desire simply because no one is going to bother confronting you about it.
Why can't you asshats just accept the simple fact that these people are about a billion times better than you will ever be? By all means, comment on their gameplay "I think he is having a bad day" or "He really is not playing very well today". These statements at least acknowledge the fact that yes, they are normally extremely capable individuals, rather than simply bashing them for not doing things like you would.
And always keep in mind, whether it is a soccer match, an artist creating a painting, or an E-sports tournament player in League of Legends, it is always much easier for us as observers to get a full picture. This is not the case for the person sitting in front of the PC, running on the field or going through the thought process of choosing the correct colour.
It's easy being a critic. And even easier to be a complete fucking asshat with no reason to exist. Be the former, not the later.
See you all on the bounce.
I could come up with a bunch of excuses for this, work being crazy, preparing to move back home to Denmark and tons of other reasons, but the truth is it the inspiration simply has not been there. I run this post as my own little sanctuary so if I don't have anything to write down well.... nothing will be written down.
But, today I do have something to post about. This weekend, Assembly 2011 was run in Finland, a large media-arts convention that over the years have grown into a central avenue for E-sports, in particular this years Starcraft 2 tournament, bringing some of Europe's best players together for a weekend of challenges and matches. I had the immense pleasure of watching this being streamed live by Total Biscuit and co-commentated by Starcraft 2 E-sports player, dApollo. I highly recommend checking out TBs Youtube channel by the way, he is incredibly entertaining, even if you aren't that interested in video games. Check him out at http://www.youtube.com/user/TotalHalibut
Well, that was kind of a long-winded introduction to what I actually wanted to talk about, critique. We've all felt the harsh sting of truth when people tell us we suck at something and we've all felt the desire to defend ourselves.
However, looking at the chat during the livestream, I saw too many damn idiots complaining that this and that player "sucked".
Now sucking at something is an objective statement. Either one is good at something or one is not, so I consider it odd that people, who for one reason or another, wants to denigrate others in this fashion. What is it about success that makes people so keen to criticize others? Stephano, a world class SC2 player does not suck. Do you know how I know this? Because he plays the damn game in an environment where the top prize is 8000 Euro. A massive sum of money for a weekends dedicated gaming.
And yet, both him and so many others are often named as crap players.
I suck at Starcraft 2 miltiplayer. Do you know why? Because I've played all of 3 matches in total, none of which I won. The people who play Tennis, soccer, paint or play video games at such an incredible level that they are often capable of making a living out of it, does not, in any sense of the term, suck at what they do.
What is it about humans that makes us so incapable of accepting the success of our peers? Is it some vague aspiration to elevate ourselves above all others? Or simply a desire to lash out at anyone that could be construed as superior at something. I don't know, but this problem flourishes to a dangerous degree on the internet, where you can criticize someone as much as you want, using as many personal insults as you desire simply because no one is going to bother confronting you about it.
Why can't you asshats just accept the simple fact that these people are about a billion times better than you will ever be? By all means, comment on their gameplay "I think he is having a bad day" or "He really is not playing very well today". These statements at least acknowledge the fact that yes, they are normally extremely capable individuals, rather than simply bashing them for not doing things like you would.
And always keep in mind, whether it is a soccer match, an artist creating a painting, or an E-sports tournament player in League of Legends, it is always much easier for us as observers to get a full picture. This is not the case for the person sitting in front of the PC, running on the field or going through the thought process of choosing the correct colour.
It's easy being a critic. And even easier to be a complete fucking asshat with no reason to exist. Be the former, not the later.
See you all on the bounce.
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