You know how it works: the sign-up process for a service is remarkably painless and quick; the process to cancel is much more difficult. I've had NetZero for many years as a dial-up Internet Service Provider (ISP). I signed up many years ago- well before I moved into my current residence. At the time, I simply needed a service provider and dial-up was my only option (DSL, while gaining ubiquity, hadn't yet made it into my home and I, a poor college student, could only afford the $10/month fees that many dial-up ISPs offered). I was happy with the service- in my experience the billing was accurate, the perceived connection stability and speed was more than sufficient- sufficient enough for dial-up, at any rate. All in all, I would recommend NetZero to anyone who needs a simple dial-up ISP account and nothing more.

The truth, though, is that I haven't actually connected into the web via my netZero service in something like three years. Just like going to the dentist and cleaning the basement, I've been meaning to cancel for some time now but just never got around to doing it- until today...

Ok, software companies. Why are you trying so hard to get me to install your 'free' software? It's one thing to send me lots of emails about your other products when I have to go online and register your 'free' products. I can live with that (although I'd rather not). It's bad enough when the checkbox to receive "emails from someSuch company" is prechecked. In my experience, though, fewer and fewer companies are doing this little trick...