Software and internet companies seem to operate on a strange business model. Most successful businesses keep listening to their customers and provide what the customer wants. If there's a problem, many of them will go out of their way to fix it, perhaps going beyond any statutory obligations. They recognise that the key to their continued success is not only providing a good product but providing a good service to back it up.

IT companies seem to work by providing what they think the customer wants, and providing no mechanism for feedback or support. Their customers are left to sink or swim. Sometimes they will change the product regardless of the opinion of their customers - for example Myspace. Sometimes they judge that the product is too important for this to matter, as with Google's black bar of death (although it remains to be seen in 12 months time what the impact switching off iGoogle will be). In other cases - for example Myspace - it is a disaster.

I changed my anti-virus software after I was unable to get any support from Norton, even though they published address, phone number and email address - most nowadays seem to provide no point of contact at all.

I don't know why they do this. Is it a cynical disregard for the customer, or lack of ability to understand that people might have problems with their product?