[Vision2020] Making the switch to a local ISP

[Joan Opyr]

Dear Visionaries,

A few days ago, Kevin Owen, the owner of First Step Internet, contacted 
me via email with a challenge: it was a very polite and courteous 
challenge, but he asked me, "If you really want to promote and support 
local business, why don't you support ours?  Why do you use Earthlink's 
as your ISP?"  It was a damn good question, and I gave it considerable 
thought.  I had tried First Step about 2 years ago, but the dial-up 
service was spotty out where I live, halfway between Moscow and Troy.  
More recently, my brother-in-law, who lives just up the hill from us, 
called First Step and asked them to do a site survey to see if they 
could supply us with wireless.  Unfortunately, they couldn't; we're not 
in sight of the Troy Water Tower, which is the big test.

Nevertheless,  I liked Kevin's question, and I liked Kevin.  I 
bombarded him with questions about webmail and security, viruses and 
spamblocking, and he answered all of them patiently, thoroughly, and 
without using any incomprehensible computerese.  In short, he was 
everything I like in a local retailer -- smart, informative, courteous, 
and committed to providing excellent service.  This beat the hell out 
of my recent experiences with Earthlink's overseas call center, which 
told me that the loss of my EDITED BOOK on their webmail server was 
really "too bad."

And so, I'm making the switch.  I dropped my Dell CPU off at First Step 
this morning for repairs, and I asked them to set up my new First Step 
Internet account featuring Propel, which will render my dial-up account 
5X faster than Earthlink.  I'll also shave a few bucks off my monthly 
bill -- First Step charges $18.95; Earthlink $21.95.  It makes good 
sense all around.

First Step is a Moscow-based business.  It's a good business; it 
employs a sizable number of people, pays them well, and offers them a 
good working environment.  (I intend to write a New West piece on First 
Step just as soon as I get my surgical staples out and can drive myself 
to town again.)  Furthermore, First Step has hosted -- at no cost -- 
the Vision 2020 unmoderated list since its inception.  They've done 
this in the face of repeated criticism that they ought to shut it down 
or kick folks off or otherwise interfere in the free (if not always 
easy) exchange of information and ideas and worthless drivel that make 
up our fun, funny, freaky group.  I appreciate that, and I appreciate 
Kevin Owen.  I also want to put my money where my mouth is.  Sometime 
in the next few days, I'll bid Earthlink a less than fond farewell, and 
I'll say, "Hello, moscow.com!"  I'm looking forward to it.  And so is 
my publisher -- I've asked them to wait to re-send my EDITED BOOK until 
after I've switched to a reliable server.

Man!  Those Earthlink ads with the happy fairy tale creatures -- it's a 
fairy tale, all right.  Perhaps Jack in the Beanstalk has my EDITED 
BOOK?

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
www.joanopyr.com
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