[Cialug] Iowa Telecom and Qwest

[Rachel Garrett]

On 4/5/07, Dave Weis <djweis at internetsolver.com> wrote:

> I would rather be oversold on bandwidth than seats. Slow internet isn't as
> bad to me as a consumer than sitting in an airport for another day.

Well, the advantage to the plane scenario is that even though you're
sitting an airport, no one can tell you you're on the plane. If
airlines were like ISPs, they would oversell *and* tell you there's no
problem.

YOU: I was supposed to arrive in San Diego at 11 PM. You're telling me
I'm going to have to sit here in Las Vegas for another 12 hours while
I wait for a flight?
SERVICE REP: You could try walking out the airport doors and walking in again.
YOU: What good would that do?
SERVICE REP: I don't know, but it always seems to work with computers.
YOU: I'm asking you to look it up and tell me whether there isn't at
least an earlier flight that I can get on.
SERVICE REP: Get on to where?
YOU: San Diego.
SERVICE REP: This is San Diego.
YOU: This is Las Vegas. I want to go to San Diego. You agreed to get
me to San Diego.
SERVICE REP: That must be very frustrating for you. Thank you for
being patient. This is San Diego.
YOU: No, this is Las Vegas! I want to *go* to San Diego!
SERVICE REP: This is San Diego.
YOU: Can I speak with your manager?
SERVICE REP: Sure. *hums chewing-gum music for two minutes and 17 seconds*
MANAGER: *pops up* You rang?
SERVICE REP: The customer wants to go to San Diego.
MANAGER: This is San Diego.
YOU: No, it isn't. There is a sign over there that says "Welcome to
Las Vegas." There is gruesome touristy architecture out the window.
There is a slot machine two feet from your elbow.
MANAGER: I understand. This must be very frustrating for you. Let me
run some tests. *takes a quarter and puts it in the slot machine*
SERVICE REP: A seven, a banana, and a strawberry.
MANAGER: You see, I told you that you were in San Diego.
YOU: Go reboot yourself. *start walking*