[alphasubzero949]

So I finally got my high-speed internet installed through Adelphia. DSL from the two major carriers in the area (SBC, Verizon) wasn't even an option. The cable guy showed up, installed the modem (a big freakin box that looked like something from the early 90's), and left with the simple instruction of launching a web browser to finish the activation...

Nope.

So I had to call the dreaded tech support. I was waiting for a good 20 minutes before I got a live person. I told him that my computer won't connect to the internet and that everything was set up properly.

"What operating system are you running?"
"Mac OS ten, ten point four."
"Oh. Well...that's the problem. We don't support Macs. We'll have to activate your modem and account on our end."

About 5 minutes go by and everything was up...until I tried to set up my Airport Express. For some reason it wasn't picking up the internet connection despite the correct settings.

Another call to tech support. Another tech to tell me that Macs weren't supported. They had to set the modem up to accept my Airport!!!

On the line with him? "So, uh, how is Mac OS Ten. You have the new one...what's it called..."
"Tiger."
"Oh yeah, Tiger. How is it compared to Panther? Just a little upgrade?"
"No, there has been a lot of changes under the hood. It actually speeds up the machine in terms of responsiveness."
"Really. I guess I'll have to look into it..."


You'd think with Mac OS X, the Mac mini, the new iMacs, etc., and with all of the inroads Apple has been making lately, why are companies still hostile to Macs as far as support? Even Verizon and SBC half-asses support for the Macintosh (along with those setup CDs that force you to install Microsoft crap and bug you every five minutes about your computer being "insecure.")

[olePigeon]

Their website probably uses ActiveX controls that preconfigure a Windows machine when you connect to the website. Probably runs ipconfig or whatever, grabs the MAC address, fills the form, and sends it in.

They could, of course, just use Java so it'd work with Classic, OS X, Windows, Linux, UNIX, and just about any other platform in existence that can run Java... but nah. They'll use ActiveX.

Or they could just do it like Comcast. Look on the machine for the MAC address, fill in a 1 line form at some webpage, and hit submit. I know it takes all of 2 minutes to do.

[mitchell_pgh]

A similar thing happened to me with Comcast. The guy left and said "it should come one any time now"... 24 hours later, nothing. I called and they said "Oh, you need to call in to activate it, anyway, click on the "start" button...

but they had a Mac tech that knew his stuff. He even called me back 24 hours later to make sure everything was running well on my system.

[Link]

Even in the days of 10.0.4/10.1 SBC had documentation for OS X, 'cept it wasn't as readily available (I don't think they started mailing out books with the modems that told you how till 10.1), but you could definitely do it (I set the account in 9 and then inserted the PPPoE info in 10, mission accomplished). Sad Adelphia doesn't seem to be on the same page.

[JoshuaZ]

Every place really should have one Mac tech, or at least instructions on how to work a Mac. Its so super annoying, especially when you know more then they do about computers.

Whats even worse is when they blame your Mac for being the entire problem! Arg!!!

[budster101]

I had the same problem with Comcast. It was hilarious.
They *should* use Java. What is this activeX sh i t?