Rant on BSNL.....

Well, when was the last time you cursed someone for quite a long time for Plain sucking HTML ? Well, if you had been on BSNL DataOne, you'dve done that quite some time often.... Note : If You'd rather not read a very very violent rant, move one.... Seriously...
Well, this is a modified version of the Warning I ran in my last rant, so it seems I am ranting a lot now;) Well, if you use BSNL DataOne Broadband, you get a Fancy Portal to check your usage statistics. And, I have reasons to believe that the guy who designed that portal must've had a PhD in how to really annoy people out of their wits.... Well, first you have to type an IP adress[http://10.240.89.199/]. Well while there is a reason stated that it has to be accessible only from the BSNL Networks, but then, I suppose they should have had atleast a Domain Entry, so that Normal Users can check their Usage.... Next, it works Only in IE. Well, though there is no clear reason given, upon viewing the source, I saw that they had used an IE-only feature called Script Encoding that has recieved widespread cricticism. Well the basic thing it does is, it dosn't allow your Script to be viewed at the client, though what is so Precious in that portal that they want to hide is beyond me.... And then, ofcourse is the adding Problem. They presented a Session by Session record of your Data Usage in KB, spanning several pages. And, ofcourse, you would have to add them all to get your usage. Very Inituitive, UserFriendly..... But then, it looked like it started changing and they started teaching their machines to add and display the total usage. It started looking like things were starting to change. But then...... Well, this is the thing that really really really annoyed me. Well, If you've read any Sherlock Holmes stories, you'dve observed that I've been making most of my posts and comments in the mornings. Well that was because I checked in my Usage stats on around the 15th of this month. And, at the place where the Total Payable Usage figure usually seemed to be displayed, I found a mammoth figure of around 900 MBs... Well, it was quite a shock for me, since I've never done anything heavy this month. But then, one really couldn't use Reason with those Government Agencies, so I took some measures to reduce bandwidth Usage. First, I started avoiding FireFox and using Avant with the Block Everything except Text Option on. And, I almost started avoiding using the Internet using the normal hours, instead using it only during the happy hours between 2 AM and 8 AM. And, for this, I changed my habit and started sleeping early and getting up early.... And, I stopped checking the Stats site, since I knew I'd go berserk if I saw that, and also that Dad'd go Berserk and probably even cut the Connection, If I told him that I've exceeded the Limit. So, I just kept it in my mind, and didn't think of going to the stats site.... And Imagine my Surprise and horror, when I checked it today Morning, and found it listing 2.12 GB! Well, I was really enraged to see that, even after my preventive measures, since if Dad gets a bill of 3,000 Rs, then, I am 100% sure I'dve been cut off from the wonderful world of the Internet and the Blogsphere.... But then, something else caught my Eye, and that was before the Date Column, there was a Column with the text the Total Payable Usage in all the rows. And, the 2.12 GB was also under the title Total Usage. Also, the log listed several sessions which were within the happy hours.... Well, how much I had used I couldn't tell, so I just hoped I didn't cross the 1 GB Mark. But then, as I was browsing by Sharath's Archives, I discovered this Gem of a Post about a Great Utility for Broadband users. Well, I checked it out and came here, and with the download just some 68 KB, I downloaded it and ran it....

Now, Imagine how Angry I'dve been If I found that I'd actually used just 560 MB! And, Due to the Moronic Thoughtless Baseless Counter-Inutiative User-Unfriendly Work of an Idiot, I had to spend almost 3 Weeks with minimal browsing and had to change my habits and wake up at 4 in the Morning instead of 11! And, as I said, that fellow does deserve a PhD in the art of Annoying People.....

Well Guys, that said, I've actually benefitted something from that Moron, since I've learnt to wake Early. And, also, I've got a big collection of Books on my HDD, which I suppose to blog about later. But then, I'dve rather been left as I was...... Hope these guys actually do some usability Research and actually try to use their Software. And, it's time that they start using Cross-Browser Code, and make some Intelligent Decisions based on what users want.... The Last point is there because they've got a bunch of useless features that anybody who has the heart to pore over VinuThomas.com and get the IP for the portal will never Use. These Include such things as Stop Current Service and a Change Password that dosn't work. And some more things that have really strange and frightening names. And as usuall with BSNL, all the BSNL Guys I've met donno a bit about the existance of the portal itself! And, even my uncle, who works at BSNL dosn't know about it, and none of his friends know about it too! And, If it were not for my Cousin Sudar who digged up the URL from the Vinuthomas Website, I too wouldn'tve come to know of that... Well, it's been a Long Rant, and a Long Blog Post in that, but then, BSNL is the only one affordable over here. And, without it, I don't suppose that I'dve been introduced to the wonderful world of the Internet and the Blogsphere. Thank you BSNL, but it's high time that you start sounding less like a Government Agency and more like a competitive Business... And, BTW, other than BSNL and my Dad, I just can't thank my Cousin Sudar enough, since without him, I'dve been just like on of my classmates, watching TV, going to movies, Playing Cricket and BasketBall and probably getting a 75%..... Thanks.....I mention him here because, without him, I wouldn'tve been Bashing BSNL here;) And, thanks for the comments, and keep em coming;) Bye for now....