Re: Verizon Overrides Internet Searches With Its Own Results

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Paul Levy" <plevy () citizen org>
Date: November 18, 2007 7:58:53 PM EST
To: <dave () farber net>
Subject: Re: [IP] Re:    Verizon Overrides Internet Searches With Its  
Own Results

In addition to this dumb error, the very next paragraph is likely to  
discourage customers who are not technically sophisticated:

Note: If you change the DNS settings in your Operating System, you  
could encounter problems if you travel with this computer. You will  
probably have to change back to the original settings to connect to a  
hotel network, for example. Changing the DNS settings in the hardware  
device requires that you know the device user name and password.

Those who get nervous about fiddling with settings are not likely to  
be comfortable with the idea of changing DNS settings back and forth,  
and are likely just to accept the new Verizon "service" rather than  
mess with their computers in this way.

Paul Alan Levy
Public Citizen Litigation Group
1600 - 20th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009
(202) 588-1000
http://www.citizen.org/litigation
> > > dfarber () cs cmu edu 11/17/07 11:40 AM >>>


Begin forwarded message:

From: Gabe Goldberg <gabe () gabegold com>
Date: November 17, 2007 10:14:46 AM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] Re:    Verizon Overrides Internet Searches With Its
Own Results

"Jeff Nye" said:
> For what it's worth, Verizon does let you opt-out of their 'enhanced'
> DNS service.  The method is right there in their revised terms of
> service.
>
> Here are the instructions for
>  FIOS customers:  http://tinyurl.com/33ju2w
>  DSL customers:  http://tinyurl.com/ypnqom
Well, yes. Except that the DSL version is gibberish because of a
missing word:

<quote>
If you prefer that the DNS server display an error message when it
can't match the domain you've entered with an IP address, you must
your DNS settings in your hardware device
</quote>

"You must your DNS settings"? DNS discussions are already gibberish to
most people. Carelessly written and garbled instructions posted on a
critical Web page sure shows profound concern for customer care. It's
entertaining to consider how many people this text must have passed
through with nobody bothering to buy a verb for it. Mysteriously, the
FiOS version is worded slightly differently, doesn't have this problem.


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