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The terms of service that AT&T offers for its free flavor of Wi-Fi:
“You agree that all connections to the Internet via ATTIS’s connectivity shall be for the limited purposes of accessing electronic mail, operating a basic web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, or downloading files via the ‘ftp’ protocol typically implemented in web browser programs.”
This is to laugh for a few reasons. First, they’re asking us in exchange for limited free service as a loyalty offering to use email, a Web browser, and FTP for download only. That means that you can’t stream video, make a phone call, use Skype, instant message, run a freestanding Internet program of any kind, or upload a photo–or even upload a small document. That’s rather absurd. Why include terms that are patently either offensive to the kind of user this service is designed for or ridiculous to enforce?
And “Netscape Navigator”? Is there a time-warp hooked up to AT&T?
Does anyone need anymore proof that AT&T sucks?
Woo! Big cojones, lampooning a Starbuck’s venture when Starbucks is now a Proud Sponsor of Cranky Geeks. Woo!
And is this really AT&T’s fault? I don’t have much good to say about AT&T, but it seems like this bollux-up is the fault of Starbuck’s. Plenty of other places offer no-conditions free WiFi (just about every coffee shop in Minneapolis and St. Paul, most Panera Bread places on the east coast) where you can do pretty much anything you want.
I’m much more likely to be “loyal” to places like that (if I’m going to sell my loyalty) than to Starbuck’s because they give me limited crippleware access to WiFi in exchange for buying their overpriced beverages.
Some McDonald’s have free wi-fi. Let’s see… pay 75% less for a better cup of coffee and free wi-fi with no weird restrictions… hmmm. Well, at Starbucks I do get a special cup that announces to the world that I just went to Starbucks. I’ll have to think about that.
If the fools who wrote the technical conditions are also the ones monitoring for compliance, we have nothing to worry about.
The Netscape Navigator thing shows the technical accumen of the legal team involved with this terms of sevice, lol. Does it even exist any more?
I don’t think the coffee cops are going to stop you from viewing youtube or anything simmilar. it’s just a poorly written clause. Besides, I go to locally owned and ran coffee shops. they tend to have better coffee and faster internet connections anyways. Even secure connections at some joints.
Geez, I agree with Mustard.
OHH My God!!!!!! mark this day down in your little red readers
I actually agree with Mister Mustard
well said sir
Gee, OVER-PRICED, BURNED COFFED AND WEB SURVEILLANCE at the same time !!! Who wouldn’t jump at that ??? ***IDIOTS***
P.S. The Telcos are aiming to CHOKE OFF UNTIMED ACCESS AND GO TO THEIR BELOVED “TIMED MESSAGE UNIT” ACCESS !!! Can’t wait for these TELCO EXEC DINOSAURS TO ***DIE OFF***, SO BROADBAND CAN REALLY COME TO AMERICA !!!
ECA, quit posting using “JimD” as a moniker. That’s frowned upon by the Eds., you know.
Mustard should change his name to Butter, cause he’s on a roll today.
Even if true, I’m not going to lose sleep over the fact that people don’t get to make phone calls as Starbucks or download illegal movies.
#7, & 8
“I agree with Mustard”
Mustard is right a lot, it’s just the fact that he can be such a jerk that makes you overlook him being right…
🙂
Hey, I’m still using NCSA Mosaic! Some of us take a while to move up!
Seriously, if you subscribe to an AT&T internet service (I get my DSL from them), go to Starbucks, log in with your account name and DSL password (not mail, as many get confused. I’ve helped a bunch in Starbucks), then log on for as long as you like, FREE! It rulez! Also, screw the terms of service. I play online poker and Magic the Gathering online quite often there, and have even ran bittorrent and Team Fortress 2. Come and get me, AT&T!!!!!!
Welcome to the new AT&T.