[ale] ATT Broadband and DHCP Help Requested

[hirsch at zapmedia.com]

Byron A Jeff writes:
 > > 
 > > > Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 14:19:45 -0400
 > > > From: "Michael H. Warfield" <mhw at wittsend.com>
 > > > To: Jeff Dilcher <dilcher at hiddenworld.net>
 > > > Cc: "Ale at Ale.org Org" <ale at ale.org>
 > > > Subject: Re: [ale] ATT Broadband and DHCP Help Requested
 > > > References: <MMEBIMHOPFECNGBIHAOAAEAIDAAA.dilcher at hiddenworld.net>
 > > 
 > > > On Sat, May 19, 2001 at 12:43:21PM -0400, Jeff Dilcher wrote:
 > > > > Hello,
 > > 
 > > > > (Apologies if this went out a couple of days ago-
 > > > > I have been having a bit of difficulty joining the
 > > > > group.  I hope this hasn't been discussed recently...)
 > > 
 > > > > I am an ATT cable subscriber in Dekalb county.
 > > > > Formerly Mediaone.
 > > 
 > > If you have trouble with those lazy morons at AT&T (IMHO), be sure to tell
 > > them you have Winbloz95 or something BUT NOT LINUX.
 > 
 > Absolutely. That's their support policy.

The MediaOne installed me they didn't care what I had, as long as I
could provide them with a MAC address.  They phoned it in an I was up
and running.

 > BTW Bob, you can't call them lazy. And while ignorant is probably correct,
 > it isn't very helpful.

When I bought a LinkSys router, I called them up and gave them the MAC
address.  Actually, due to my cluelessness I gave them the internal
address instead of the external one.  The tech on the phone said "That
doesn't sound right.  Are you sure that is the external address?"  I
was impressed.

 > AT&T's nee MediaOne's policy is very clear and makes sense. They do not
 > support any configuration outside of a single machine running Win 95/98/ME
 > or MacOS. So do otherwise is a support nightmare.

I agree with you that to get fastest service you should not mention
Linux.  But if we are ever to see Linux accepted and supported by
companies like ATT, it is important that they be told that is what we
use.

For instance, you mention 1% of cable modem users use Linux.  I don't
beleive it.  Given that Linux users then to be early adopters, and vice
versa, I suspect much higher penetration than that.  It's just that we
know that if we say "Linux" we won't get service, so we lie, or at
best tell a half truth and don't mention Linux.  

--Michael
--
To unsubscribe: mail majordomo at ale.org with "unsubscribe ale" in message body.