Proliferation of Idiots

The process of redelegating our domain names has proven more difficult thanks to the ineptitude of Melbourne IT - our soon-to-be-ex-registrar. Our change of ISP meant a change in IP number for our nameservers. So I used Melbourne ITs web interface to change the details - except it wouldn't accept the new ip number. It would however accept just the name. So that's what I did.

It takes a change in nameserver details anywhere from 24-48 hours to proliferate, so I waited for the change to take effect. And waited. And waited. And nothing happened. When I checked my whois listing I discovered that it was still listing the old IP number for the nameserver. So I tried changing the number again with equal joy. Then I called MelIbourne IT and waited fifteen minutes on hold while their one technical person waded her way through the plethora of calls.

Of course when I say I was waiting on hold I actually meant being barraged by a constant stream of hard-sell advertising. IT businesses don't just play music anymore. No, they play about 30 seconds of music and then suddenly cut it off so they can have a recorded voice try to sell you something. Another 30 seconds of music and then another 1 minute advertisment - done with a different voice so you think it's the operator. Repeat ad nauseum.

After fifteen minutes of that and I almost missed the tech girl when she finally came online. I explained my problem and she produced the standard response that it took time to proliferate. After explaining it three times that I had done all this 72 hours ago and that I couldn't change the IP of the nameserver I got this sudden piece of irrationality:

"Yyou have to call us if you want to change the IP number. We had to disable it because people kept messing up their details.

So why is it still there? She didn't know. She also didn't seem to know why this little gem of information isn't listed on their website.

So I've wasted three days. That's three days without a workable business email address.

Not happy, Jan.