AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#1

Post by jal278 » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 4:11 PM UTC

AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form
blog.joellehman.com

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#2

Post by Swizec » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 4:38 PM UTC

Wow, that is truly horrible.

Although, think of it like this: AT&T is doing what every web developer in the world wishes they were able/allowed to do. It's getting people off IE6.

Granted, the process should be "If IE, then update, else, just show form"

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#3

Post by zephjc » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 4:41 PM UTC

Why is the form asking for gender as a required field?

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#4

Post by sp332 » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 4:45 PM UTC

zephjc wrote: post #3

Why is the form asking for gender as a required field?

It's probably just a language thing, so the forms can say "him" or "her"?

Edit: or in support calls, they sometimes accidentally say "sir" to a woman etc., this might help with that.

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#5

Post by aohtsab » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 4:46 PM UTC

A faster approach would be to spoof your user agent -- announce yourself as IE 8 on Windows XP.

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#6

Post by ianterrell » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 4:48 PM UTC

Over the last 7 years I've set up more than half a dozen DSL/cable/FIOS modems and routers (I've moved a lot). I've always used Linux or OS X (which was as problematic as Linux in 2004).

FWIW, every company I've worked with (AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, others) has a method of activating everything that does not require installing any software. If you have a technician on site installing something they can do it for you; if not you may have to call them to do it.

In my latest round with Verizon FIOS (4 months ago), the technician let me know that they have the option "in case you just moved in and your computer is packed away." Use that as an excuse, or say you haven't purchased your computer yet but your family is over visiting and need to use the WiFi.

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#7

Post by ori_b » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 4:53 PM UTC

aohtsab wrote: post #5

A faster approach would be to spoof your user agent -- announce yourself as IE 8 on Windows XP.

That would work if they hadn't used ActiveX

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#8

Post by meow » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 4:59 PM UTC

Who said dinosaurs are extinct... They are hiding in plain sight...

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#9

Post by soulinafishbowl » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 5:08 PM UTC

There is (or was) a similar system profiler program that installs itself from Windstream's DSL service, and will not allow itself to be removed from a PC by any means I am aware of. Totally unacceptable on my machines that I purposefully kept perfectly clean!

Re: AT&T's Rube Golbergian Web Form

#10

Post by joezydeco » Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 5:16 PM UTC

Rule #1 when calling AT&T DSL support: Always, ALWAYS say you're running Windows with IE. Lie. Fake it. Whatever.

If you say anything else you'll derail your support. Your goal is to get through the level 1 did-you-plug-everything-in-lets-restart-your-machine gauntlet.

That, or go to the forums at dslreports.com and hope you can contact a sympathetic AT&T engineer.