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From: bytebug@dhw68k.cts.com (Roger L. Long)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: AppleLink (un)Useable?
Message-ID: <1991Jan1.144714.10504@dhw68k.cts.com>
Date: 1 Jan 91 14:47:14 GMT
References: <0B010004.c6058p@outpost.UUCP> <CFS^M3*@rpi.edu>
Organization: Wolfskill & Dowling residence; Anaheim, CA (USA)
Lines: 45

In article <2031@metasoft.UUCP> Alan Epstein wrote:
> Does anyone regularly use AppleLink?
> 
> I have found, despite the introduction of v6.0, that this 'service'
> is slower and less reliable than ever. Is it just my connection
> or have others found this thing difficult to use?

Seems fine for what I use it for (sending queries/receiving responses from
DTS, downloading various files, etc).

In article <CFS^M3*@rpi.edu> Garance Drosehn
>Two or three weeks ago I had a miserable time trying to download one file. 
>ResEdit 2.1, I think, which was expected to take 45 minutes to download.  I 
>must have tried a few dozen times on several consecutive nights to get the 
>file, and every time I'd lose the connection part way thru.  Sometimes it 
>would just a few minutes into the download before dieing, and the farthest 
>it got was about 38 minutes into the download before it stopped.  This was 
>quite frustrating.  Most of these downloads were done between 11pm and 5am 
>(okay, okay, so I work odd hours...).  It also didn't matter if I tried to
>download any other file, I just couldn't seem to keep the connection.

This isn't something you should have to put up with.  If this is the kind of
thing the original poster was complaining about, there is definately something
wrong somewhere, and you should be finding out where the problem is and doing
something about it!

Several weeks back, I experienced problems downloading large files, and after
the second attempt failing some 30 minutes into the download, I called the
HelpLine and vented my frustration and told them I expected not to be billed
for the time I'd wasted thus far, and asked what should I do.  I got a call
back from someone who indicated that they'd isolated the problems to the
PacBell lines servicing the modem number I was trying to use, and that PacBell
knew about the problem, and would get around to fixing it when they got around
to fixing it.  The remedy in the meantime: try a different modem number.  I
did, and had no further problems.

Sitting in their offices in Northern California, the Apple folks have no idea
if there are problems with their service unless you let them know.  And they
seem to respond.  My problem was dealt with.  And I'd guess that enough people
complained about slow service in November (I didn't notice it being that slow)
that they cut the connect-time charges across the board.

-- 
	Roger L. Long
	bytebug@dhw68k.cts.com