Patterico's Pontifications

5/14/2011

When Google Says “Write Us” — You May Get a Jerk Like Nitecruzr

Filed under: — Patterico @ 2:01 pm



This page is supplemental to the main post, and simply makes the case in detail that if you have a problem with your Blogger blog, you’re likely to end up at a forum very much like the one where nitecruzr heaped abuse on Ann Althouse. Althouse’s support thread was at http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=7d484a48559b3e5c&hl=en, which is obviously located at http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/. That’s where I ended up when I went on my own search for help with a Blogger blog. It’s not an “independent” forum but rather a place where Google itself directs you to go if you need help.

I tried starting at square one, to see where I would go if I had a problem like Althouse had. In addition to my original Blogspot blog for Patterico, I actually have another Blogger blog, called nobodygivesacrapandrewjlazarus.blogspot.com. I created it for the express purpose of pranking a liberal commenter named Andrew J. Lazarus. So in that sense I’m a “Blogger” guy, and when I go to Blogger.com here is what I see:

I click on the “Help” link and get a page looking like this:

Nothing seems to apply, so I scroll down and see a link at the bottom left for “Contacting Us.”

That word “us” is very important. Google is saying when you click that link, you are contacting Google. Not some third-party forum with pimple-faced volunteers whom you know do not represent Google. You are contacting Google.

That’s what I want, so I click it and see this:

“Can’t sign in” was Althouse’s problem. Click that link and you get this:

Nothing seems to apply. If I have a blog with a large readership, I am going straight to “last resorts.” And when you click that, you get this:

There’s that word “us” again. Write “us” for help. They aren’t saying: “go to this third-party forum for help.” They are saying write “us” — Google — for help. And here is what happens when you click that:

Recognize that URL in the top left of the screenshot? That’s the same http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/ address that Althouse found herself at.

So don’t try to tell me that this is some snot-nosed third-party dude whom nobody would think represented Google.

When Google told Ann Althouse to “write us” — she got nitecruzr.

Leave a Reply


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.1058 secs.