That's exactly what I meant. I called it a Pick Lock after the term that was used in the Alltel call center where I used to work. It's a term I only heard, so I spelled it as phonetically as I could. I was with Alltel at the time, and I asked them to do it so I wouldn't get slammed (again) by MCI. Alltel did indeed make changes to my long distance service a few months after that; I ditched landlines altogether at that point. I've been with Cingular ever since a girlfriend invited me to choose them in order to talk free. We've long broken up, but my relationship with Cingular continues to this day.
I kept a young, hopeful MCI rep tied up for forty five minutes during a routine "would you like to try our internet service" call. Playing the role of a slightly mentally retarded teenager, I actually had the guy explaining to me that I could check my email when the computer wasn't connected, and that their install CD would work in my blueberry IMAC even though there were four other discs jammed in it already. The person monitoring the call broke in and asked the young man to "please terminate the call."
He called me back when he realized what was going on and gave me a royal cussing, also informing me that he'd switched my long distance service to MCI's most expensive plan. I stayed in character the whole time, actually putting the phone down to go take a leak and returning to his angry yammering. When I returned, I explained to him (in my best "retard voice") that I'd set a pick lock on the line and he was full of crap.
I got a call back the next day from the manager (who had broken into the previous call) and he explained that the kid had been disciplined. Whatever that meant. He probably got a few paid vacation days and an MCI tote bag.
How about a phone that works as a damn phone? I don't need an mp3 player, digital camera, video camera, calendar, notepad, toaster, coffeemaker, dishwasher, steam shovel, etc. All I really want is to be able to place a call with the assurance that it will connect, and remain connected until the end of the conversation. But all those R&D dollars keep manifesting themselves in useless crap like opening animations reminding me to be safe and courteous every time I power up my phone.
Congratulations, you just violated the DCMA by posting a circumvention to the security of the device in question to/. - there's a special place in the federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison just for you!
I read somewhere that caffeine is a laxative. I started ordering water with my lunches, and found that the frequency of my afternoon "hair on fire" trips to the bathroom decreased dramatically. That was all the incentive I needed. For the headaches, I took tylenol (which contains no caffeine like excederine) and otherwise just toughed it out.
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah, but anyone who bought one is loosing $399 per unit, plus accessories, games, and sales tax.
That's exactly what I meant. I called it a Pick Lock after the term that was used in the Alltel call center where I used to work. It's a term I only heard, so I spelled it as phonetically as I could. I was with Alltel at the time, and I asked them to do it so I wouldn't get slammed (again) by MCI. Alltel did indeed make changes to my long distance service a few months after that; I ditched landlines altogether at that point. I've been with Cingular ever since a girlfriend invited me to choose them in order to talk free. We've long broken up, but my relationship with Cingular continues to this day.
I kept a young, hopeful MCI rep tied up for forty five minutes during a routine "would you like to try our internet service" call. Playing the role of a slightly mentally retarded teenager, I actually had the guy explaining to me that I could check my email when the computer wasn't connected, and that their install CD would work in my blueberry IMAC even though there were four other discs jammed in it already. The person monitoring the call broke in and asked the young man to "please terminate the call." He called me back when he realized what was going on and gave me a royal cussing, also informing me that he'd switched my long distance service to MCI's most expensive plan. I stayed in character the whole time, actually putting the phone down to go take a leak and returning to his angry yammering. When I returned, I explained to him (in my best "retard voice") that I'd set a pick lock on the line and he was full of crap. I got a call back the next day from the manager (who had broken into the previous call) and he explained that the kid had been disciplined. Whatever that meant. He probably got a few paid vacation days and an MCI tote bag.
How about a phone that works as a damn phone? I don't need an mp3 player, digital camera, video camera, calendar, notepad, toaster, coffeemaker, dishwasher, steam shovel, etc. All I really want is to be able to place a call with the assurance that it will connect, and remain connected until the end of the conversation. But all those R&D dollars keep manifesting themselves in useless crap like opening animations reminding me to be safe and courteous every time I power up my phone.
"Show me on the doll where he touched you..."
...on weed?
Congratulations, you just violated the DCMA by posting a circumvention to the security of the device in question to /. - there's a special place in the federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison just for you!
Hey, I'm used to lying flat on my back for 12 hours straight in the dark sorting out cabling, typing with one hand. Or wait...did I say that out loud?
I read somewhere that caffeine is a laxative. I started ordering water with my lunches, and found that the frequency of my afternoon "hair on fire" trips to the bathroom decreased dramatically. That was all the incentive I needed. For the headaches, I took tylenol (which contains no caffeine like excederine) and otherwise just toughed it out.