User:Another n00b/Five internet service providers I would never use

1. AOL

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. AOL IS THE WORST ISP OF ALL TIME. It's slow, expensive, won't let you cancel, terrible customer service, atrocious and asinine users, lack of features and it will never stop billing your credit card. Never. Turning to AOL is pretty much commiting social suicide, and telling people that you use it is more embarrasing than going around town in nothing but a pink leotard. An irony about AOL is its creation and ownership of the "AOL Instant Messenger" system which is heavily used by many people who have a vehement hatred for AOL the ISP, but don't hesitate to use the AOL IM feature as it is so ubiquitous amongst internet users that there is almost no escaping it. In other words, you hate AIM but have to use it because all of your friends are too stupid to use anything better. Also, AIM is guaranteed to make your computer 100% slower.

In 1993 usenet was flooded by a tidal wave of a worse kind of newbies, more numerous, stupid and arrogant than the regular influx. This was caused by AOL offering usenet access to its users. For those who don't know: AOL was notorious for being one of the first cancers of the internets, because it made it easy for idiots to gain internet access. Traditionally you actually had to have some intelligence to use computers and set up internet access; this is why AOL users were notorious for excessive use of 1337SPEAK (Some argue that this caused a variation on L33t, this would even be referred to as "AOLspeak"), due to 13 year old boys being too lazy to type a few extra letters.

2. AT&T

This ISP is notorious for treating its users like babies. It blocks dozens of porn sites, many without asking the user fist. Not only is it a nanny-state, but it is also slow and extremely expensive. The most (in)-famous example of it's babying is when it once blocked 4chan. That's pretty fucked-up. Sadly, WAY too many people use this ISP.

In September 2007, AT&T changed their legal policy to state that "AT&T may immediately terminate or suspend all or a portion of your Service, any Member ID, electronic mail address, IP address, Universal Resource Locator or domain name used by you, without notice for conduct that AT&T believes"..."(c) tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries." By October 10, 2007 AT&T had altered the terms and conditions for its Internet service to explicitly support freedom of expression by its subscribers, after an outcry claiming the company had given itself the right to censor its subscribers' transmissions. That is fucking atrocious. If you use AT&T, please cancel as soon as possible.

3. Comcast

This ISP is on here for two words: Comcast disease. Comcast disease is a term commonly used to describe a debilitating condition, known formally as Goldstein-Feinberg Proletarian ISP customer relay chat sclerosis, which affects the customers of a certain large internet provider in the United States. The onset of symptoms is usually within 0 minutes to -5 minutes from the time that a Comcast connection is set up at a residence or office.

The disease is characterized by constant ping-outs on IRC, intermittent connection failures lasting an hour or more, occasional day-long internet lossage and haluscinations that Comcast is a good ISP, during which one who is affected might exclaim "It's Comcastic!" from hearing the phrase in Comcast's relentless television advertisements. Comcast Disease is not terminal, though it may lead to users offing themselves in frustration. You are more susceptible to the disease if you rent your modem from Comcast.

4. T-Mobile

Ok, I'll admit that I used to use this one. And thank GOD I don't now. The customer service is atrocious, the connections speeds are slow and they charge extra to use Usenet. Like, what the fuck? I've never heard of that tactic before. Thankfully, they are now serving only in the UK, which I presume is far from a good place to live if T-Mobile and British Telecom are the sort of service you should expect.

Also, I have NEVER understood why they advertise access to 4chan on their advertisements. Are they really the sort you want to be associating with? Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE 4chan, it's one of the best *chans ever. But from a business point of view, it is highly illogical to even mention them, let alone offer their services free. I think I might have the reason. They where trying to coax 13 year-old boys into using their otherwise shitty service.

5. MSN Dial-Up

Do I even need to comment?