Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!ibmarc!ebm
From: ebm@ibmarc.uucp (Eli Messinger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: America Online
Message-ID: <1229@ks.UUCP>
Date: 30 Nov 89 19:12:48 GMT
References: <29969.2562DE85@cmhgate.FIDONET.ORG> <17096@netnews.upenn.edu> <24197@cup.portal.com>
Sender: news@ibmarc.UUCP
Reply-To: ebm@ibmarc.UUCP (Eli Messinger)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Pandora's Box
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Russ Armadillo Coffman...

> Yeah, but CompuServe has the same scheme - credit card first, THEN your
> trial period/free time...

Yes, I thought this was rather offensive... especially when coupled with the
come-on about helping them "test" out a new system.  When I called them to
ask why they required the credit card first, they fumbled out some explanation
about having to worry about people who went over their free-time period.  I
asked why they couldn't simply have the account shut down after the free-time,
and they had no real answer.  At least, not one they wanted to admit.  ("Well,
see, our marketing people realized that we have a lot better chance of getting
you as a paying customer if we've already got the billing for your account set
up...").

--
 "The real test of an artist, of course, is not whether you can see each blade
 of grass, but whether the eyes follow you across the room."   --Stewart Evans

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