In or before March, 2003, AOL made a change to its server which caused failures in certain AOL-hosted web pages on the users.aol.com server. The change introduced a bug. This is a report of that bug.Forwarding Notice
This bug report is written in terms which your programmers will understand. Therefore, direct forwarding of this bug report to the America Online programming dept. is requested.
Issues:
Problem Type
Breakdown of advertised feature.Feature Affected -- Background
AOL provides its customers the ability to make web pages having hit counters. (If you are not familiar with this feature, please see AOL's description of this feature at keyword WEBTUT).Feature Affected -- Specifics
Most hit counters on the users.aol.com server no longer work.History
I have used hit counters on my users.aol.com web pages continuously since 1997. The breakdown occurred in all of my web pages simultaneously in 2003, even though I had not changed them. Therefore this rules out any possibility that the bug might be mine and not AOL's. Problem First Appeared: March 2003 Problem First Proven to Exist: March 25, 2003 Date Reported to AOL: March 25, 2003Cause
One of AOL's programmers has broken a feature that has worked for years. Clearly the programmer made a change and then failed to make sure that the change didn't cause something else to break. Proper testing would have totally prevented this failure.Symptoms and Demonstration
The problem is easy to see and understand. To see a demonstration of this bug, follow the instructions given in the e-mail I sent AOL (copy appears below).
Closing Comments
This bug constitutes a reduction in the user experience and a reduction in AOL's level of quality. This problem is simple in nature and will not take more than a few hours for your programmers to correct.
Sincerely, (mr.) Software Engineer and Tester (for hire) Testing Pays! http://users.aol.com/JEBrown800 Los Alamos, New Mexico USA , BS Computer Science, has been a software engineer for over 20 years and an AOL user since 1996.
Caution
Note: As in every company, it's possible you'll delegate this bug report to a new employee. If you do, please keep an eye on his or her progress. New employees sometimes have little experience with customer support and service, and sometimes find it easier to blame the customer than to fully investigate the problem. Such behavior is unprofessional. My policy on unprofessional behavior is to report it to AOL management. So, if you delegate this bug report to a new employee, please see that he or she has adequate supervision.
Status:
Issues:
Subject: "AOL Hit Counters (Odometers) Have Quit Working" From: To: AOLPhoneTech Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 13:20:41 Contents: Dear Madam or Sir, I regret to inform you of a new breakdown in the users.aol.com server. Hit counters on user web pages no longer work. Specifically, hit counters of the form <IMG SRC="/cgi-bin/counter?name=JEBrown800/Counters/index&font=invisible"> no longer work. To see a demonstration, visit my personal home page, http://members.aol.com/JEBrown800/index.html . If your browser has image loading turned on, your visit should cause the hit counter to increase by one. However, if you watch the odometer file, http://members.aol.com/JEBrown800/Counters/.odometer.index you'll see that it doesn't change. Note: Counters of this form still work: You are visitor #<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/cgi-bin/counter?JEBrown800"> but of course this form is of limited usefulness, since this syntax only allows one counter per screen name. _____________________________ Note: As in every company, it's possible you'll delegate this bug report to a new employee. If you do, please keep an eye on his or her progress. New employees sometimes have little experience with customer support and service, and sometimes find it easier to blame the customer than to fully investigate the problem. Also note: Some of my hit counters have worked since 1997, and I have created many hit counters since then. Therefore you may rest assured that I am not simply confused about how to use them. _____________________________ Problem First Appeared: approx. 03/25/03 (yesterday); continues today with a 100% failure rate; problem was first seen on occasion a few weeks ago but seemed rare at that time. Problem Last Reported: never Effects: 1. Hit counters don't count. 2. Visitors to the web sites of AOL users are told "You are visitor number 00000001," no matter how many times they visit. 3. Reduced Reputation. Potential AOL customers will begin to associate America Online with poor quality. Present AOL customers will begin to associate America Online with frequent breakdowns. Thank you for working hard to address the quality problems at America Online. Sincerely, (mr.) webmaster , BS Computer Science, has been a software engineer for over 20 years and an AOL user since 1996.
Notice how this AOL rep tried to blame the customer.
And notice how he refers me to the very same basic instructions that I was already using:
Subject: "Re: AOL Hit Counters (Odometers) Have Quit Working" From: To: srtechprob@aol.net Date: Friday, March 28, 2003 09:22:01 Contents: I understand that you are having problem with the counter in your webpage. Allow me to lead you to an online area where you can get information on how to get it done: 1. Please visit Keyword: WEBTUT 2. Scroll down and double click the ADDING A COUNTER article. 3. Follow the online tutorial to add a counter on your webpage. For further needs, please contact us by phone at 1-888-346-3704. For a TTY equipped number, please call 1-800-759-3323. If preferable, you may visit Keyword: LIVE HELP and our Online Technical Consultants are waiting and very willing to help you as well. From this area, your concern will be appropriately addressed and will be resolved online. It has been my pleasure to assist you. Have a great day! =) Eric B. Customer Care Consultant The TechMail Department America Online, Inc. Some Helpful TIPS: Discover the wonderful features AOL has for YOU, please try using Keywords: AOL HELP, AOL INSIDER TIPS, QUICK REFERENCE, HELP CLASS, GET HELP NOW, and Secrets of AOL.
Attn: Eric B. Customer Care Consultant The TechMail Department Dear Eric, I'm sorry to hear that you misunderstood my bug report. You wrote: Hello! I am Eric from America Online (AOL). As a Customer Care Consultant from the TechMail Department, I am happy to help you with issues or concerns regarding America Online Services. Thank you for writing to America Online (AOL) and I do apologize for the delay in responding to your email. I understand that you are having problem with the counter in your webpage. Allow me to lead you to an online area where you can get information on how to get it done: 1. Please visit Keyword: WEBTUT 2. Scroll down and double click the ADDING A COUNTER article. 3. Follow the online tutorial to add a counter on your webpage. Well, no -- I am not the one having the problem -- I wrote you to report a breakdown in your system, and yet you told me to go read the newbie manual. It is discourteous to suggest that an (experienced) user is ignorant. I'm sure there's no need for me to contact your supervisor and tell him or her that you: + Mis-read my question + Sent me basic instructions on how to use your service, as if I were a beginner or a child + Behaved as though your software error were due to my ignorance or inexperience + Dismissed my question without really answering or investigating it + Declared the problem solved, even though the problem continued So, instead of blaming the user for your computer's breakdown, I suggest that you try investigating again. If you have questions, please show this e-mail to your supervisor or an experienced colleague. Sincerely, (mr.) webmaster , BS Computer Science, has been a software engineer for over 20 years and an AOL user since 1996.
Subject: "Re: AOL Hit Counters (Odometers) Have Quit Working" From: srtechprob@aol.net To: Date: Monday, March 31, 2003 02:41:11 Contents: Dear JEBrown800, Hello! :-)My name is Ashley from America Online. It is my pleasure to assist you with issues or concerns regarding America Online Services. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced. I have filed a report for you on the issue. Thank you for bringing this problem to our attention. For any other suggestions, comments and/or inquiries please feel free to write back and I will be more than happy to assist you. Ashley Q. The TechMail Department America Online, Inc.
In 2004 I took part in one of AOL's customer satisfaction surveys.
Here's part of what I wrote on my survey:
17. What one thing could AOL have done to improve the overall quality of this Customer Service experience? If you wouldn't change anything, please enter 'Nothing.'
I'm a degreed software engineer, and so, I speak the language of your technical staff. I have enough education and experience to allow me to know the difference between an AOL system breakdown and a one-time fluke, or a random crash of my own computer. I'm not asking AOL to hire me, I'm just asking AOL to consider providing expert users like me with a way to submit bug reports directly to the relevant department. In other words, a way to bypass the unpredictable behavior of the customer service staff. Because the thing I dread most about reporting bugs is the high likelihood that the front-line customer service reps won't understand what I'm talking about and will once again reject my bug reports out of hand.
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