Newsgroup process is outrageously frustrating!

[Jim Walsh]

I just spent a half hour in a big loop trying to do a fairly trivial thing in
one of these Office newsgroups. I had posted a question and wanted to be
notified of any replies. But, the problem that I was working on had to do
with one of my e-mail accounts and Outlook, unfortunately, the e-mail account
that would receive the notifications. Needless to say, I wouldn't be able to
get them.

So, I elected to edit my profile (little button on the right next to the
Help button). This offers the option of changing the e-mail address to which
the notifications are sent. So, I did that. But, in order to complete this
change, Microsoft would send a verification message to the new address and I
would need to click on a link in that message to verify. I received the
verification message and clicked on the link. In Internet Explorer, the link
led to a page that said : "Unknown Error. An unknown error occurred while
processing your request. This is most likely due to a connection failure.
Please try again."

Being the patient guy that I am, I did retry maybe a half a dozen times over
a couple of days, always with the same result.

The original verification e-mail has some comments about dealing with
problems in the process. I tried them all without success.

So, finally, it says "If you continue to have access problems or want to
report other issues, pleas Contact Us." The Contact Us is a link to a
Microsoft Support page. But, this is a generic Microsoft Support page that
begins its own long course into identifying for which Microsoft product I am
requesting help. A long list, what should I pick?? I elect to pick Windows.
After another long process it decides that I must pay for this help.

HELP!!!! Is there a Microsoft ombudsman that I can petition??

I am tempted to buy a Mac!

Jim

 

[Bob I]

Actually if you accessed it AS a newsgroup INSTEAD of that problematic
web interface, you would have a happier life.

So use a newsreader and get on with it. Outlook Express is the default,
you can use others, here is a couple links to get you started.

A list of the accessible groups
http://aumha.org/nntp.htm
and this group in particular
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.office.misc

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Or if you have Vista, Windows Mail. It'll make the world of difference to
you. You could even access it thru Google groups. Not my first choice for
everyday use but it's terrific for searching the archives.

 

[Jim Walsh]

Bob,

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Actually, I used to use Outlook Express to
work with MSNEWS. I believe that the notification mechanism is useful. It can
save time going back looking for responses.

Your suggestion is actually a work-around for my problem, rather than a
solution. Having to revert to "work-arounds" is itself frustrating. Does
Microsoft monitor these newsgroups? If not, they should. And if no member of
the community can come up with an answer, then someone at micorosft should.

It always seems like we are so frequently like apes puzzling around a black
box, suggesting to each other how it might work. The developers do know how
it works! (I'm a software developer myself.) We should hear from them, when
the apes outside of the black box scratching their heads can't figure it out.

Jim

 

[Jim Walsh]

JoAnn,

Thank your for your suggestion, too. The answer I posted to Bob's response
applies to yours too. Yes, I could try alternatives (work arounds?). And,
maybe the work-arounds are better from one aspect to another.

Just another ape scratching my head and wondering why the black box doesn't
work the way I think it should (and the owners claim it does).

Jim

Or if you have Vista, Windows Mail. It'll make the world of difference to
you. You could even access it thru Google groups. Not my first choice for
everyday use but it's terrific for searching the archives.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

Actually if you accessed it AS a newsgroup INSTEAD of that problematic web
interface, you would have a happier life.

So use a newsreader and get on with it. Outlook Express is the default,
you can use others, here is a couple links to get you started.

A list of the accessible groups
http://aumha.org/nntp.htm
and this group in particular
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.office.misc

 

[Bob I]

You're welcome. Microsoft doesn't monitor the group as they supply them
as peer to peer interface. The regulars don't bother with the web
interface as it is too problematic and the direct connection works for
us. In our book, the "web interface" is the "work around" for not being
able to use a news reader. So I guess it's where you look at the
"problem" from?

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Well, it *does* work but most of us think that it doesn't work well. ;-)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

JoAnn,

Thank your for your suggestion, too. The answer I posted to Bob's response
applies to yours too. Yes, I could try alternatives (work arounds?). And,
maybe the work-arounds are better from one aspect to another.

Just another ape scratching my head and wondering why the black box
doesn't
work the way I think it should (and the owners claim it does).

Jim

Or if you have Vista, Windows Mail. It'll make the world of difference to
you. You could even access it thru Google groups. Not my first choice for
everyday use but it's terrific for searching the archives.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

Actually if you accessed it AS a newsgroup INSTEAD of that problematic
web
interface, you would have a happier life.

So use a newsreader and get on with it. Outlook Express is the default,
you can use others, here is a couple links to get you started.

A list of the accessible groups
http://aumha.org/nntp.htm
and this group in particular
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.office.misc


Jim Walsh wrote:
I just spent a half hour in a big loop trying to do a fairly trivial
thing in one of these Office newsgroups. I had posted a question and
wanted to be notified of any replies. But, the problem that I was
working
on had to do with one of my e-mail accounts and Outlook,
unfortunately,
the e-mail account that would receive the notifications. Needless to
say,
I wouldn't be able to get them.

So, I elected to edit my profile (little button on the right next to
the
Help button). This offers the option of changing the e-mail address to
which the notifications are sent. So, I did that. But, in order to
complete this change, Microsoft would send a verification message to
the
new address and I would need to click on a link in that message to
verify. I received the verification message and clicked on the link.
In
Internet Explorer, the link led to a page that said : "Unknown Error.
An
unknown error occurred while processing your request. This is most
likely
due to a connection failure. Please try again." Being the patient guy
that I am, I did retry maybe a half a dozen times over a couple of
days,
always with the same result.

The original verification e-mail has some comments about dealing with
problems in the process. I tried them all without success. So,
finally,
it says "If you continue to have access problems or want to report
other
issues, pleas Contact Us." The Contact Us is a link to a Microsoft
Support page. But, this is a generic Microsoft Support page that
begins
its own long course into identifying for which Microsoft product I am
requesting help. A long list, what should I pick?? I elect to pick
Windows. After another long process it decides that I must pay for
this
help.

HELP!!!! Is there a Microsoft ombudsman that I can petition??

I am tempted to buy a Mac!

Jim