Scripting News: ISPs from the AOL era

Scripting News, the weblog started in 1997 that bootstrapped the blogging revolution.

ISPs from the AOL era

Quickly, I thought this morning I'd install the Comcast self-install network interface that arrived via UPS yesterday. Well, the first part went quickly, I got connected, but then it wanted me to download an installation kit, which once downloaded on my Mac (it came in as an hqx, so they clearly understood it was a Mac) wouldn't run because it required Internet Explorer. I imagine that's a big support headache for them.

No problem for me, I just launched Parallels, but it couldn't find the cable modem, so I'm stuck, which is probably okay, because I don't really want to install anything to get my second ISP connection in the house. I have six computers, so only one is going to get anything installed on it. And the clue that I didn't want to do it was the requirement that you disable all anti-virus software. Uh huh. Yeah, and why exactly should I do that?

They also require that you get a comcast.net mail address.

When do you think buying Internet connectivity will get you that and only that.

PS: Don Cook, a Mac user, called Comcast, they set it up on their end, and that was that. I figured that's all we had to do. I'll call them tomorrow.

Last update: Thursday, June 3, 2010; 4:01:01 PM

~About the Author~

Dave Winer, 55, is a visiting scholar at NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. He pioneered the development of weblogs, syndication (RSS), podcasting, outlining, and web content management software; former contributing editor at Wired Magazine, research fellow at Harvard Law School, entrepreneur, and investor in web media companies. A native New Yorker, he received a Master's in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin, a Bachelor's in Mathematics from Tulane University and currently lives in New York City.

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May Jul