Computer training.com

Recently I received the following email from B at computer training.com
As you probably remember I took their skills assesment back in November

http://stephenthedog.blogspot.com/2007/11/computer-training.html


Stephen,

I do appreciate your interested in taking our entrance exam, with you have done 16 times in the past year. However, it is exactly that, and entrance exam. Please refrain from testing your stills on our website. If you do wish to test your skills, feel free to go to Microsoft.com, per they have test there for skills purposes. Also, In the recent months, I have had my identity stolen, costing me thousands of dollars. In my search of finding the culprit, I came across your blog page, containing my personal information such as email address, place of employment and phone number. I would greatly appreciate you removing my information from your blog page. Thank you in advance, and good luck with everything. Have a great holiday season.

My response

Dear B,

I did not realize I had taken your entrance exam 16 times in the past year. Actually it was not me taking the exam but rather my loyal and dedicated readers. I hope they did well as you may or may not know the average IQ or my ODD readers is well above the mean. Normally I don’t adjust content but it is the Holiday season and I am a reasonable dog so I have removed the link to skills assessment. This should prevent my readers from taking your exam anymore.

I would like to point out that your commercials call it an online skills assessment and not an entrance exam. Your web site calls it an online skills challenge. Personally I like to be challenged everyday and don’t feel that taking a challenge multiple times should be an issue. However I am a reasonable dog so I have removed the link. I do think you should have a talk with your marketing dept. There seems to be a mixed message here. I bet those marketing people get paid by the number of people who take the challenge and I bet your comp is based more on how many people you can get to sign up to take your courses. Personally I find the terminology confusing.

I am sorry to hear about the theft of your identity. That stinks, I hate identity thieves. I do need to make a point here. All the information on my ODD was provided by you after I took the online challenge. Perhaps if you have an issue with this you should not send anyone who takes the skills challenge your contact info. I don’t want to be confrontational but I want to make sure that you are aware that I in no way had anything to do with your identity theft. I only published information that was already in the public domain. Since I am a reasonable dog I have gone ahead and removed the information to you referenced. I feel I am under no obligation to do this and am doing it soley in the spirit of friendship.

I hope this resolves any issues you may have with me of my ODD.

I do have one question well actually two. What did you think of my ODD and would it be possible to get an autographed photo?


Stephen