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for the first time since I was a little kid.

This is not in any way an endorsement of services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon's 'Prime Instant Videos' service, or any of the other alternative subscription type video services. (Services that let you buy or rent movies and TV shows aren't much better.) I wish I could at least say that the reason I can't recommend these services is limited to the fact that content rights holders make it virtually impossible for anyone but established cable and satellite companies to create compelling offerings. That's certainly true, but it's not the only reason why these services are terrible.

They're also awful because the companies responsible for them have done an absolutely abysmal job with the implementation of their services including just about everything from the basics of navigation, categorization, and search, to the user interface design and buggy code. To anyone who would suggest that these services are anything but miserable, I'd ask you to take a deep breath, maybe go for a walk, and clear your head of the bias you hold in favor of anything that isn't cable or satellite. That those companies are virtual monopolies standing in the way of progress does not make every other thing somehow good. On the contrary, with a DVR (or 2) and a decent amount of storage, traditional cable is so good in comparison to the new crop of 'alternatives' (ahem) that they might as well come from the future, or have been given to us by some more advanced alien civilization. Is it perfect, no. But it is so much better that there is simply no comparison.

Internet based subscription services like Hulu Plus have a lot of potential. But at least some of that potential is owed to the fact that what they are now is so much below par that they have a lot of catching up to do. Furthermore, that potential is largely theoretical at the moment. Unless someone can crack the relationship between cable (and satellite) companies and media rights holders, there can be nothing else but garbage. Take a very nice chair made by an expert furniture builder and drop it off a cliff so that it breaks into a mess of pieces when it hits the ground. That is the state of internet based content services at the moment, except that saying that the services themselves are like something made by an expert builder is far too generous. They are at best like the worst chair you'd find at Ikea to start.

So if I dislike the other options then why am I dropping cable? There are 2 very specific reasons.

First, I find DirecTV, the company and their policies, to be so disagreeable, and inconsiderate toward customers that I simply can't tolerate it any longer.

I'm paying them $120 to get out of my current contract. That should be interpreted to mean that I would rather pay them not to have their service than I would pay them to have it. I say that though I am mostly satisfied with the service itself. The company and their policies on the other hand are truly awful.

Think the worst experience you've ever had with a cable company like Comcast. The difference is that while Comcast has recently tried to address its long standing customer service issues, DirecTV is entrenched in theirs. For example, Comcast no longer locks new customers into long term contracts to qualify for promotional pricing. I'd say that goes beyond fair and qualifies as generous. Let's compare that to my recent experience with DirecTV.

When we signed up for service we agreed to a 2 year contract to qualify for 12 month promotional pricing. That's fair enough, but that's not the end of the story.

One of our 2 DVRs showed up DOA. They insisted that we troubleshoot it with them before allowing us to exchange it. For one reason or another, that process took nearly 2 months! They finally agreed to exchange the box, which again never worked, with a new one. It turns out that when they processed the exchange, they categorized it as a 'change of service' and extended the term of our contract by 2 months. Not only were we expected to pay for 2 months of service that we couldn't use, but then to 'change' our nonworking device for a one that worked, so that we would have the service that we signed up for in the first place, they extended the contract.

That's just one example of the sort of customer service that I experienced over approx 1 1/2 years.

So why didn't we go with Comcast?

The answer is the second reason I'm dropping television service -- bundling.

As it stands now I have internet service from Comcast. I literally have no other choice. But the Internet service is cheaper if I also get Comcast's basic cable package, though I don't use it. So I've had Comcast for internet service, DirecTV for television, and also Comcast for basic cable, which I've never used. It would seem like a simple matter then to move my television service to Comcast, right? As it turns out, no.

Instead of simply upgrading my cable plan, Comcast tells us that to expand cable service it will be cheaper if we also bundle home phone service. I haven't had home phone service from anyone in... I don't know, well over 5 years. I have no use for home phone service. I don't want to look at a phone to remind me of how dumb bundling is. I also don't want to schedule a tech to install and test home phone service I have no intention of ever using, just to have an empty jack sticking out of the wall. This move from DirecTV back to Comcast was supposed to allow me to get rid of some of the inane BS imposed on me by these providers. But instead Comcast would have forced me to accept it all over again, or pay more for the privilege of not having their service. (A business model I don't want to encourage.)

So I've decided to go without television service altogether. DirecTV was cancelled a few days ago. All of these issues aside I think cable and television more generally is a good thing, though I acknowledge that the way we use it abuse it isn't good. But I refuse to play this stupid game. You know what? I'll be just fine without television. What I can't get online - almost everything - or can't find because of the terrible services available - much of what's left - I can go without.

There are quite a few shows I do enjoy watching. And I think to myself that I'd hate to miss an episode. But then I remember that there are many shows, like HBO's Boardwalk Empire for example, which I've heard are very good, but I've never watched because they are on a premium channels I don't want to pay for. And I can honestly say that I don't miss not have seen those shows. For that matter I don't miss flying in the private jet I don't own; going to Fenway Park with the Red Sox season tickets I don't have; living in the large house I can't afford.

I know DirecTV and Comcast aren't going to miss my $100 a month. But it won't surprise me if I don't miss their services all that much either. Even if I do, I believe it will be more than offset by the satisfaction of knowing that I'm less of a tool than I was before.