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SBC forces Prodigy users back to OS 9

updated 05:15 pm EDT, Tue August 20, 2002

SBC Communications -- a Yahoo! dial-up Internet service provider -- has informed users of the defunct 'Prodigy' service that they must transition to SBC's new Internet connection software by the end of October. The new software, which replaces Prodigy's offering, is not compatible with Mac OS X as a native application or in the 'Classic' environment. SBC representatives contend that the company has no plans to support Mac OS X in the future.

by MacNN Staff

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08/20, 05:32pm | report spam | close Reply |
tell them to jump in the

if you use these guys, dump them and find a new ISP!

Those lame asses!

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08/20, 05:33pm | report spam | close Reply |
No biggie

I work in SBCIS.... I also use MacOS X... the service is just PPoE. All you have to do it setup with the MacOS 9 software (even works under classic) and then configure the
PPoE network setting and you are ready to go!

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08/20, 06:00pm | report spam | close Reply |
Agreement

I agree with the last poster... if you use OS9 simply use their OS9 compaitble program... in OSX use the PPOE tab in network settings... simple as that!

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08/20, 06:19pm | report spam | close Reply |
Enhanced DSL

I have their Enhanced DSL service with static IP addresses. No PPoE needed or any other software needed for this more expensive service.

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08/20, 06:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
Their loss

If they don't want to support OS X, that's fine. Who needs em?

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08/20, 06:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
thick headed

I don't understand why they don't just look into work arounds and alternatives before the go saying they don't support OSX. Thier laziness and lack of foresight will cost them customers they probably don't need to lose. Already 3 post say there are ways around the problem. No wonder some many internet providers are in the red.

kcmagnus
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08/20, 06:50pm | report spam | close Reply |
SBC Global

This is talking about dial-up, not DSL. To my knowledge, and their website they don't have any problems with DSL and OS X, through the note says that they haven't tested it, and their software [Enternet 300] doesn't work with OS X.

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08/20, 07:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
Don't Have to Use It

No, no, no, no--this is not going to be a problem. This "connection software" is going to be nothing more than an AOL-like installer and interface to make your connection, just as Prodigy has always had. However, you don't have to use it and have never had to. Just enter the info manually--dns servers in network, dial up number in Internet Connect, and mail server in the email program.

That being said, tech support will resolutely not help you if you call them about a problem and tell them you're using OS X. Their supposed "Mac technicians" obviously don't have a lot of extra Mac experience (if any), as they would like you to believe. I always dial into the windows tech support line and lie to them that I'm using Win98. Under that guise, I always manage to get my tech support questions answered (which are usually only of the type, "Are your mail servers down right now?" since I was a Mac tech in the past). Clearly that's a problem, though. This is not a mac-friendly company, and has never been. I used to be the *sole* mac tech at one of the smaller companies SBC gobbled up, and I can tell you that SBC/Prodigy have never had that many Mac users *or* those Mac users don't call in as often. So, naturally, it's not a priority to them. The only reason I'm still with them is because I've got a far lower legacy rate (17.95 a month) than the cost of joining something new like Earthlink. New Mac customers should avoid SBC/Prodigy/Yahoo, though. Clearly.

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08/20, 09:03pm | report spam | close Reply |
for the record

sbc's support for os x dsl is pretty decent. their tech people are actually quite knowledgeable about our favorite modern os, in my experience.

dunno about their dial-up, however. haven't used narrowband since the mid-nineties.

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08/20, 09:31pm | report spam | close Reply |
Support Local ISPs

Like that east cost one that has unlimited dialup for only $10/month AND they block out the RIAA from hacking you!

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08/20, 10:21pm | report spam | close Reply |
Prodigy still exsists?

I thought Prodigy died along time ago. They weren't that great an online service to begin with. Even AOL was better than them.

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08/20, 10:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
No Software Needed

SBC's DSL is just PPPoE, but their tech support is useless.
They like to make you think you have to use their useless "Enternet" software. But you don't. They talk about it in the Mac forums over at www.homenethelp.com

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08/20, 10:56pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Prodigy Still Exists?

At the risk of going off-topic, yeah Prodigy sucked big time. That was my first online service. Their Mac software was truly awful. Prodigy started in 1988, and it seemed to get stuck in that year. I can't even describe how awful that interface was; you really had to experience to truly appreciate its awfultude. The 16-color palette, the square blocky text, the un-Mac GUI, the un-Mac window structure... UGH! That's why we switched to AOL initially, which was not only faster (despite the slower connection speed) but also had a Mac web browser. Very much different than the AOL we know and hate today. :)

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08/21, 12:30am | report spam | close Reply |
like attbi...

supplying software on cd that gilds the 9/X networking lily.
and that's just the inert portion of the experience - wth wet support
their first try is always 'ok - now go to your start menu...'
- *sigh* i'm on a mac
ok, then go to your menu and pull down 'settings'
- not really, but here let me help you by going to system prefs...
and then there's always 'reboot now so your networking changes can take effect'
- it's a mac. you don't need to. tcp/ip changes are immediate and do not require a reboot.
"well, we do this day after day, and believe me, you need to reboot or else we can't help you.
- well, i'm a network administrator and you're a call center clone. my ibook goes from airport to three different ethernet configs to dialup and back again several times a day, and my uptime is measured in weeks sometimes months.

two colleagues have our ASIP server and account - they never havr to think twice. They also have SNET (SBC) internet and are lucky if they can keep it configured long enough to do any useful work without a rent-a-geek looking over their shoulders...

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08/21, 12:35am | report spam | close Reply |
SBC OS X tech support

I have a friend who has Mac OS X and SBC DSL. It works fine, but when he called for tech support one day, and said he had OS X, he was informed they did not provide tech support for OS X, and then they immediately hung up on him.

But it could be worse. Back in the days of 9.2 and 10.0.x, when the first Quicksilvers came out, I remember reading a story about Telstra (for those of you who don't know, one of the major phone monopolies in Australia) didn't even support OS 9.1. They reqired 9.0.4 or earlier!

themotor
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08/21, 05:44am | report spam | close Reply |
SBC PacBell ISDN (semiOT)

We were using SBC Pac Bell's ISDN per-minute service at home since we're too far away from a 'Central Office' for DSL... This ended up costing over $200/month. Then we found toast.net. Only $39.95 for 300 hrs/month, 25 cents an hour after 300 hours. Very nice!

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08/21, 08:52am | report spam | close Reply |
Prodigy stinks

i used to work for Prodigy, well for their outsourced Customer Service company. they are run like a 2 cent railroad. it is no surprise that they have went under. SBC (all of their phone and internet companies) try to s**** over their customers and take no responsibility and like rival siblings always point to each other. prodigy points to the phone companies, phone companies point to prodigy, both point to SBC, SBC points to all its little companies. it goes on and on. Prodigy stinks, SBC stinks. No OS X support is not surprising and really stinks. I have never understood why people use national ISPs. Use local ISPs for modem dial up. Much more reliable and better service. For DSL get it straight from the phone company. its cheaper than though any DSL reseller.

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08/21, 08:55am | report spam | close Reply |
what if i'm in a contrac

i'm in the last year of a 3 year prodigy contract... is that contract still valid now that they are not prodigy anymore?

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08/21, 10:21am | report spam | close Reply |
not basic connection cd

As an employee, I understand what the cd does. The part of the cd that is important for the user is the registration on the yahoo server. During the process, yahoo is contacted with isp info to set up account so yahoo can accept user on the mail server...without registering the member cannot get mail once transition is completed. The workaround is to run the sw on a compatible machine or system, take the phone number and dns from that and input in osx configuration for a dial up connection. DSL service will be osx.x compatible (excpet for the original x)but will not be rolled out for some time...probably next year.

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SBC forces Prodigy users back to OS 9

updated 05:15 pm EDT, Tue August 20, 2002

tell them to jump in the

No biggie

Agreement

Enhanced DSL

Their loss

thick headed

SBC Global

Don't Have to Use It

for the record

Support Local ISPs

Prodigy still exsists?

No Software Needed

Re: Prodigy Still Exists?

like attbi...

SBC OS X tech support

SBC PacBell ISDN (semiOT)

Prodigy stinks

what if i'm in a contrac

not basic connection cd

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SBC forces Prodigy users back to OS 9

updated 05:15 pm EDT, Tue August 20, 2002

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tell them to jump in the

No biggie

Agreement

Enhanced DSL

Their loss

thick headed

SBC Global

Don't Have to Use It

for the record

Support Local ISPs

Prodigy still exsists?

No Software Needed

Re: Prodigy Still Exists?

like attbi...

SBC OS X tech support

SBC PacBell ISDN (semiOT)

Prodigy stinks

what if i'm in a contrac

not basic connection cd

Login Here

Register for our weekly email newsletter:

Connect tools:

Subscribe

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Follow us

on Twitter

10 Most Read

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