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Wall of Shame

FileZilla, SourceForge and Yahoo

On January 11, 2015, I updated my version of FileZilla to 3.10.0.2. The default version of the protocol to transfer files changed from FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to TLS (Transport Layer Security). Unfortunately, I wasn't warned about this in bold, and my website host did not support TLS. The error FileZilla gave me was that my host's certificate was bad. So, I went to FileZilla's website, and downloaded a new version of FileZilla. This version used SourceForge to install FileZilla. When SourceForge wanted to install additional software, I did not agree to their term. It didn't matter; it didn't opt me out. It installed software that hijacked all my browsers and made the default search Yahoo. Yeah, I tried to opt out, and so did others. See the link below:

SourceForge Filezilla Reviews

SourceForge Filezilla Offset 50

Forms Filezilla Project

Besides, why should anyone have to put up with being tricked into downloading software that they didn't want.

FileZilla got money from SourceForge, and they got money from Yahoo. It took me hours, to get control of my computer back. My solution: I don't use Yahoo for search, email or anything else. If I see someone else using Yahoo, I try to persuade them not to use it. Ditto for SourceForge and FileZilla. They hijacked my computer; they are unethical. If they had been upfront and informed me that to download and use FileZilla, I had to use Yahoo search, I would not have downloaded the program. Furthermore, they know that and they resorted to trickery and then they didn't let you opt out. Well, I hope, they all go under.

Avery Labels

In May 2015, I needed to download a template for Avery address labels. Although, there were two options to download the template, I could only select the default option that included the "Avery Toolbar".

Avery Template Download Page

Why do they want to track their customers everywhere they go on the Internet, or do they want to send them ads? The price for downloading the template was too high. I am no longer one of the on

Canon EOS Software

Canon's EOS Utility is used to download photographs from the camera to a PC or Mac. On May 11, 2015, my old version would not work on Apple's OS X Yosemite. I downloaded a new version. Will first it downloaded an installer, and then the installer forced me to download two other programs to get the EOS Utility. The other two programs were: The Lens Registration Tool and Web Services Registration. I did not want either of the extra programs. I was going to spend $1,500 on a new Canon camera this month - the Canon T6s. Now, I am going to purchase a Nikon.

Apple Computers

On June 13, 2015, I tied up my MacBook Pro and my iPhone for 8 hours downloading a new version of iOS only to receive an unknown error after 8 plus hours. When I attempted to download the software again, it informed me the download would take 7 hours. "Enough" is "enough", I am not tying up my computer and iPhone for 8 hours at a time trying to update the OS. Apple is obviously selling more iPhone than they have bandwidth.

United Airlines

On June 16, 2015, I waited at Louisville, KY Airport (SDF) Gate A11 for over two hours until my flight should have started boarding. There was no one working at Gate A11. The kiosk at Gate A11 said the flights to Albuquerque and Denver were canceled, but it never said anything about my flight to Chicago being delayed. I would miss my connection to Jackson, MS. United could not get me home that evening, and I had to pay for my hotel room. I was not the only one that went to the next gate and complained to United that there was no one working at Gate A11 and the kiosk did not say anything about the flight to Chicago being delayed. I will remember this the next time I have a choice of airlines. You too, have a choice of airlines...

What should have United Airlines done? Here is a technology writer's opinion: zdnet: "How to ignore data and anger your customers (a recent travel nightmare)". So, I am not the only one that thinks they screwed up.

HostGator Review

On November 20, 2015, I made a request to have one of my websites migrated from GoDaddy to HostGator - Transfer Request ID:178021. On November 24, I replied to Job Ticket (No.: GJJ-40167334 ), and I asked them if they had forgot about me. On December 12, I reminded them again by replying to the Job Ticket that I was still waiting for my website to be migrated. On December 14, I received a reply that they were migrating the website. It took two reminders and 23 days before they even begin the migration process. There were problems with the migration, and after calling their technical support three times, the problems still were not resolved. You can expect long waits for technical support, and they are incompetent. 40 days after I begin the migration process, I came to the conclusion that I was never going to get my website up and running. Buyer beware!

Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500

In 2015, I purchased a Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 page scanner. The first time I tried to update the software, they didn't give me the option of opting out from installing both DropBox and Evernote! Buyer beware!

See Section 1. "About Programs Included" in: ScanSnap Online Update.pdf

AT&T Internet Service and Email

On July 29, 2016, I tried to help my cousin fix her email client program, Microsoft Live Mail. It had been working fine until October 2015 when AT&T retired their old email servers. She was not having problems receiving emails, but she could not send emails. After reading about the server change on the Internet, I changed the server names to "inbound.att.net" and "outbound.att.net". This fixed her problem with sending emails, but her client program kept trying to re-read the emails that were already in her inbox.

I knew better, but my cousin called AT&T technical support, and handed me the phone. Needless to say, " English" was not the girl's first language. She wasted my time "insisting" that I log into AT&T's web email, and see if her email was working there. Then she told me that this was all she could do on her end, and she was going to transfer me to AT&T Connectech, and there would be a fee for this service. If AT&T is going to provide email with their Internet Service, then they should support it. My cousin's email client was working fine before AT&T changed their servers.

AT&T now wants $49 for technical support on email clients. Click for Pricing

Gray-Daniels Ford Lincoln in Brandon, MS

Less than three weeks after I purchased a new 2016 F150 Crew Cab Lariat from Gray-Daniels Ford Lincoln in Brandon, MS, the antenna snapped off when I was backing out of my garage. The following is my text conversation with the sale person, Mrs. Lucky Kern:

The antenna was not screwed in all the way, and it snapped within the first 3 weeks. 2016 F150 Lariat. Ray Franco.

Every truck on the lot looks like it isn't screwed in all the way. That's just the way they are. There shouldn't be any reason for it to just snap.

I also took a photo of a 2016 F150 LTD. Not only was mine not screwed all the way end, it looks like there is glue in the threads. As an engineer, I can tell you that they will all snap if not screwed in all the way.

What do I need to do to get my antenna fixed? Please call me at: 601-XXX-XXXX.

The service department will have to replace the entire thing. It should be around $200.

Why is not it covered under warranty.

Because the part didn't fail. It broke.

I'll write Ford, and see what they say.

I first took it to Vicksburg Ford because I didn't want to have to drive 60 miles to Gray Daniels Ford in Brandon and 60 miles back. They said that it would be fixed under warranty. They took some photos with their cell phone. They said they had to send them to Ford to get it approval, but it should not be a problem. They said it would take about 5 days, and they would call me. 10 days later, I called them. The service manager found the photos, and he said that there was no need to send them off. Ford's warrant would not cover it. I went by the shop. I did not get an explanation why no one called me. When I showed him the photographs I had from the sales person at Gray Daniels, he said it was a dealer issue not a Ford issue, to take it back to Gray-Daniels and ask to see the service manager.

I took to Gray-Daniels, the younger service person said this was the second one, and the older service person gave him a dirty look. I assume it was the second one that day. I was in their waiting room for two hours before they came back and said that they didn't have the part. They said it would be in Monday; they would call me just as soon as it came in. That was four hours of my time wasted (two hours driving and two hours waiting)!

On Wednesday, I called them. The part had come in, but no one called me. Do you see a trend here: 1. No one called me from Vicksburg Ford, and (2) no one called me from Gray-Daniels Ford. The service person, I was dealing with at Gray-Daniels was Ron Lane.

A couple of months later, I called Ron Lane to make sure he still had the part before I brought my truck in. He said that he would call me back. He didn't call me back that day. I called Gray-Daniels Ford the next day, and I left a message for Ron Lane to call me. Again, Ron or no one called me back from Gray-Daniels. I called a third time, and made an appointment to get my antenna replaced the next week. After waiting four hours, Ron Lane told me someone was changing my antenna out now. I could walk to the door and see my truck. No one was working on it. Two hours later no one was working on my truck. I complained to Ron, but he told me that someone was working on it, and it did not need to be in stall for someone to work on. I informed him that I checked on it at least 6 times in the last two hours, and that no one was working on my truck.

I finally got my antenna replaced, but it took another six hours of my time. Altogether, it took me two trips to Brandon, MS (240 miles) and 12 hours of my time!

GitHub Desktop Beta - 2017_09_12

BEWARE: The GitHub Desktop Beta UI is different, and there is no documentation !!!

On May 16, 2017, GitHub announced a band new GitHub Desktop Beta, completely redesigned with "Electron". As of September 12, 2017, there is no documentation for this new GitHub Desktop Beta that has a new UI. When you try to download GitHub Desktop, they are pushing the "Beta". This might be alright for experienced GitHub users, but for a new user - you are better off not installing GitHub.

Oh Yeah, they claim to have a guide:

https://help.github.com/desktop-beta/guides

However, all it does is tell you how to install the software. It does not tell you how to use it.