[Leaplist] Offer for DSL Modem and Router From Verizon

[Randall Perry]

The Windows software is used to 'activate' service.
It is not required. Ever.
I have setup a number of business and consumer Verizon DSL connections
without ever loading that software (ok, just 1 time 7 years ago. I was
naive).  Over the years I have gone about that a number of ways.
The wrong way seems to be to tell them 'I run a Linux server'.
That eeks out a response from a teleprompter-reading-monkey of 'We
don't support Linux'.
Then I would say "That's ok.  You don't, but I do.  Just activate the
dang service".
I would tell them that I do happen to have computers running with
every version of Windows since 3.1 (no Vista), but that I don't want
to install their software.
They would rather lose my client (or me) as a customer than conceed
that the software is just to bind them to a licensing agreement.

I was more successful (and this worked with Comcast cable modem pretty
well on more than one case).
"hey, this software won't install on my Windows computer".
    "What version of Windows do you have?"
"The Dell version"
The conversasion usually varies, but I play a little role reversal. I
pretend that I am the incompetent one.  I use my 'Windows computer' to
then 'Walk through' as they hand hold me through the install.  Now, I
may not even be in front of a computer for any of this (Windows or
otherwise).  I try to keep up with their clever hoops and say 'yep.
oh, hold on. I am a slow typer'.  Even though I 'do everything as
instructed', it still doesn't work.
Then they resort to the last straw...and activate it on my behalf.

On a side note: I had a Verizon residential DSL connection in 2001
that I didn't realize I had to 'activate'.  I only noted that the
bandwidth was real slow.  Then I used one a laptop I had laying around
to sign up for service.  After 'activating' it was much faster.  And
that was the last time I ever loaded that software for anyone.

On 1/7/08, Danny W. Burdick <burdick at digital.net> wrote:
> I don't believe I've ever heard of a router/switch/or gateway that
> operated on any particular OS
> they might "think" you have to use windows...but the darn hardware
> shouldn't know the difference
> It's more likely they only have a client app for windows that addresses
> that hardware..
> I think upon more questions...you will find that it is addressable by
> browser rather than
> any particular OS....
>
> If you can Ram
> find out the make and model of this "Windows Only" router......hehehe
>
> Danny
>
>
> Ram K. Singh wrote:
> > I do not have easy access to broadband and recently Verizon has offered for DSL. They have sent me a modem/router from Gateway that operates on Windows. How can I avoid using Gateway router yet get broadband?
> >
> > Ram
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
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> >
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-- 
*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.
    Randall Perry
    Hope Crisis Response Network
  www.hcrn.info