Scattered thoughts

A good while ago now (9th April 2008) I sent in a complaint to the BBC. I was unhappy that after the redesign of their news website it didn't work properly in firefox. As you can see from my screenshots (firefox, Internet Explorer) text often appeared very small for some paragraphs, especially near photographs. It did not do this in Internet Explorer.

My complaint said:

"I have noticed a fairly major problem with the new bbc news website, in that it clearly has not been tested extensively in Firefox, as opposed to Internet Explorer. In Firefox there are parts of articles that appear in tiny font (see http://carina.org.uk/piccies/screenshots/BBCNews%20firefox.jpg.html) and these appear as normal text in IE (see http://carina.org.uk/piccies/screenshots/BBCNews%20IE.jpg.html). This shows an unacceptable bias towards Microsoft by the BBC, and is frustrating that to see the BBC news website properly I have to use a browser that is more insecure than my browser of choice. Please tell me what will be done to fix this?"

Two days later (11th April) I recieved back what was essentially a placeholder reply:

"Dear

Thank you for contacting the BBC.

This is to let you know that we've received your recent complaint and will respond as soon as possible, however I hope you understand that the time taken to do so can depend on the nature of your complaint and the number of other complaints we're currently dealing with. The BBC issues public responses to issues which prompt large numbers of significant complaints and these can be read on our website at:

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints.

We'd be grateful if you would not reply to this email - in the meantime, we'd like to thank you for again for contacting us with your concerns and appreciate your patience in awaiting a response.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact the BBC.

Regards

James Kelly
BBC Complaints"

I have to admit I was pretty annoyed but accepted that this was part of contacting a public and high profile company and it probably took time to go through the number of emails that they get.

Having said that, I only got a "proper" reply to my original complaint today, 7 weeks and 1 day after my original query, and I'm a bit narked, especially given what apparently constitutes a proper reply for them.

"Dear Mrs Charlton

Thanks for your e-mail.

Please accept our apologies for the delay in replying. We know our correspondents appreciate a quick response and we are sorry you have had to wait on this occasion.

I understand you feel the new BBC News website has not been tested extensively in Firefox as in Firefox there are parts of articles that appear in tiny font.

I also acknowledge you believe this shows an unacceptable bias towards Microsoft by the BBC which is frustrating as you have to use a browser that is more insecure than your browser of choice.

I cannot guarantee this will be rectified however I have forwarded your concerns to the site owners for their attention.

Please be assured that I've registered your complaint on our audience log. This is a daily report of audience feedback that's circulated to many BBC staff, including members of the BBC Executive Board, channel controllers and other senior managers.

Thank you again Mrs Charlton for taking the time to contact us.

Regards

Jonathan Dunlop
BBC Complaints"

On the upside, the final email refered to me by name rather than just Dear Blank. On the downside their response was basically a copy paste of my original email, and an original sentence saying they can't guarentee a fix. The blatanty copy-pasting as a way of trying to show that they understand my complaint makes the whole thing completely ridiculous. I would have felt more listened to if he had just said they had read my original email and understood my concerns, as it is, it feels as if the BBC complaints department are schoolchildren who copy paste whatever anyone sends them without really comprehending what the words actually mean.

I am not at all impressed. On this occasion BBC---------

I have been trying to get in contact with my best friend from primary school, Anna, for ages after we lost touch when her father got remarried and moved away. I've had very little luck as neither she, her father or her sister have entries on google. Finally in a last ditch effort I went to 192.com after reading about it in this BBC news article. I looked up her last name and the place I knew her last home was - Croydon. 192.com brought up a whole list of results that were tantilisingly close. It said she was living there somewhere with Chris and Lucasta but because I wasn't registered it wouldn't tell me where. So I registered and searched again and it didn't even give me that much information. I wondered why and it turned out that for me to see them I would have to pay 192.com for at least 100 credits - an outlay of £26. I wanted to see Anna, but not enough that I would pay all that money to this service. I didn't want 100 credits. I wanted 1. I would even have paid for 10, but 100 is way way way too much.

It was then I hit upon my marvellous idea.

I would google for the name of the person I assumed was Anna's stepmother.

I got one hit.

It was an email address.

I sent an email:

( email )

All this was Monday evening. Yesterday evening (tuesday) I got a call.

From Anna.

It was wonderful. We talked for ages (40-50 mins) and she will come to my wedding :D It turns out Lucasta was her stepmother and passed on my email.

Wowwowwowwowwow.

I was so happy I almost cried.

It was so good to hear from her :D

Well I heard from Laura for the first time in months yesterday, which was cool. Suffered mood drop which wasn't. Watched A Diary for Timothy which wasn't as boring as it could have been and was only 40 mins long. At pasta pie from sainsburies which was yummy, watched coupling and curled up with ben for a bit which was jibbly. Stayed the night and woke up feeling more positive.

Went to doctors today cos mood crashes were worrying some people and it turns out I'm suffering from depression. Saw lovely doctor, so wasn't as scary as it could have been. Am glad I went. Feel a bit better for it.

Think I will go see MRP...need to book appt. tomorrow I think...

Well I heard from Laura for the first time in months yesterday, which was cool. Suffered mood drop which wasn't. Watched A Diary for Timothy which wasn't as boring as it could have been and was only 40 mins long. At pasta pie from sainsburies which was yummy, watched coupling and curled up with ben for a bit which was jibbly. Stayed the night and woke up feeling more positive.

Went to doctors today cos mood crashes were worrying some people and it turns out I'm suffering from depression. Saw lovely doctor, so wasn't as scary as it could have been. Am glad I went. Feel a bit better for it.

Think I will go see MRP...need to book appt. tomorrow I think...

( her reply )

Doesn't sound happy.

So now I have to decide wether to let this drop or to go see her.

( MRP reply )

I have replied thusly

( my reply to MRP, sorry to anyone it drops in it )

I am *not* impressed

( MRP reply )

I have replied thusly

( my reply to MRP, sorry to anyone it drops in it )

I am *not* impressed

I sent off my reply to marian pitt last night, rah having written it for me as I was too worked up to reply with anything that wouldn't get me seemed. Am very very greatful to her for this :) No reply from MRP as yet.

( reply to MRP )

( now you know my ABC... )

Only stayed for half of choir cos I had a splitting headache. Dunno if I'm going to cell tonight. Need to make descion.

Bleh.

I got this in my email inbox.
( email )

I got this in my email inbox.
( email )