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Why I Quit Using Google

kylepiira.com

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Re: Why I Quit Using Google

#171

Post by dkersten »

fluffything wrote: post #170
dkersten wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people also don’t ever need customer service from PayPal, or any company really. The point is that when you do, you’re screwed. That’s not a worthwhile risk for important services like email. For other things perhaps it is. And everybody thinks it won’t happen to them. Every time there is a PayPal horror story there are comments from people whose business relies on them saying that they don’t believe the risk is…

I needed PayPal customer service once cause I got scammed for thousands of dollars. Customer support was excellent, professional and quick. I got all my money back in 3-4 days.

> I got all my money back in 3-4 days.

Sounds like this was as a customer. PayPal are known to have good service for customers; most of the horror stories are as sellers (where getting bad customer service, having your funds frozen or account closed is also a LOT more painful than as a customer since it could sink your business).

Re: Why I Quit Using Google

#172

Post by prirun »

dkersten wrote: post #168
creato wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is often repeated, and I believe it... but on the other hand, I've been using google services pretty heavily for over a decade, including some paid services, and I've never wanted customer service from google over all that time. Precisely the thing I like about google services is that their shit works and I don't need help from them to use it. I suppose there's a risk of account suspension as mentioned above, bu…

Most people also don’t ever need customer service from PayPal, or any company really. The point is that when you do, you’re screwed. That’s not a worthwhile risk for important services like email. For other things perhaps it is. And everybody thinks it won’t happen to them. Every time there is a PayPal horror story there are comments from people whose business relies on them saying that they don’t believe the risk is…

I paid the NoScript guy $5 once with PayPal, many years ago. For some reason, that transaction caused my PP account to be frozen. I called PP and they told me "we can't tell you why your account was locked, because that would give people information to help avoid our fraud detection".

I had used this account to buy thousands of dollars worth of stuff on eBay, and they froze it for a $5 transaction.

The risk is real.

Re: Why I Quit Using Google

#173

Post by snisarenko »

Kye wrote: post #164
snisarenko wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey, I am working on a mastodon aggregator, which can help with exploring instances and figuring out which one to join. It should be launching soon! https://mastodonia.club

I hope you get consent from people and instances before aggregating any data like posts and profiles. This kind of thing is very unpopular on the fediverse if done the wrong way. Meaning without permission.

That's a fair point. I am definitely not trying to anger the fediverse community. I just want to make it more discoverable. I was assuming since mastodon instances have public apis, and public "explore" feeds, creating an aggregator was no different than creating a mastodon instance with a different ui. I am also being pretty respectful in terms of how frequently I ping the api. I also include contact information the user-agent that hits the api. I would respect any instances request to stop aggregating.

Also this tool is linked directly in the mastodon documentation https://mastovue.glitch.me/

Re: Why I Quit Using Google

#174

Post by milemi »

tbodt wrote: post #108
milemi wrote: post #107

I wish OP had gotten to the bottom of why the account got suspended and told us about that.

It is completely impossible to answer this question

I doubt that. Googling "google customer service" gives me this https://www.google.com/contact/ How about starting there and telling us what happened? I don't see any mention of any attempt to figure it out.

Re: Why I Quit Using Google

#175

Post by smsm42 »

creato wrote: post #81
ravenstine wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To make matters worse, Google isn't known for their good customer service.

This is often repeated, and I believe it... but on the other hand, I've been using google services pretty heavily for over a decade, including some paid services, and I've never wanted customer service from google over all that time. Precisely the thing I like about google services is that their shit works and I don't need help from them to use it. I suppose there's a risk of account suspension as mentioned above, bu…

> their shit works

Until it doesn't. And then you're screwed. Yes, this didn't happen to you yet. It's like insurance - most people end up not using it. But if you need it and don't have it you're quite screwed. FOr some levels of dependency on Google it's ok - if I can't use Google Maps, I use other maps, no problem. But if I depend on Google for something critical, it may be dangerous.

Re: Why I Quit Using Google

#176

Post by fluffything »

dkersten wrote: post #171
fluffything wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I needed PayPal customer service once cause I got scammed for thousands of dollars. Customer support was excellent, professional and quick. I got all my money back in 3-4 days.

> I got all my money back in 3-4 days. Sounds like this was as a customer. PayPal are known to have good service for customers; most of the horror stories are as sellers (where getting bad customer service, having your funds frozen or account closed is also a LOT more painful than as a customer since it could sink your business).

Yes, it was as a customer. When I sell stuff online, its either cash, bank transfer, or Paypal "as friends", never Paypal "ware or service", because it's super easy for sellers to get scammed by customers.

I think that's a good thing. If you are selling stuff online using PayPal, you should be at least be big enough to afford a lawyer that helps you with PayPal.

As a customer, however, you are often way less protected.

Re: Why I Quit Using Google

#177

Post by fluffything »

Mistri wrote: post #39

Has anyone else had experience with getting their Google account suspended? I literally use it for everything in my life, and without it I would probably lose access to a lot. I would change away from Google in a heartbeat but it just seems like too much effort if I can avoid getting my account suspended in the first place. If anyone has gotten their account suspended, what was it for and how can I avoid it?

I was suspended from using Google search last year for 48 hours. All because my query used the advanced search features that Google themselves document - like, I was just reading the Google docs, tried one query and boom "you have been blocked from Google search".

I was 1 full day without Google search. I could not search for anything anywhere, not my phone, my laptop, nothing. That night I switched to DuckDuckGo.

Two days later, I was unblocked from Google search and use it again.

That was the moment where I started migrating all my services from google into independent providers. What if, instead of blocking my use of Google search, they block my GMail ? Calendar ? Google Home ? Android phone?....

I end up out of my house, without the ability to go in, without the ability to search for how to fix it, or to call somebody or message somebody with my home for help, maybe logged out of my car, etc. etc. etc.

For me, avoiding such risks is more valuable than having a better search experience.

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