[plug] Browsers compatible with 'non Linux ones'?

[Bret Busby]

On Mon, 24 Jun 2002, Daniel wrote:

> 
> Bill, you ask what kind of browser compatability - 
> I was chasing general M$IE compatibility as it seems many webpage creators 
> don't bother with broader compatability - Central TAFE 'require' a windoze 
> browser for people to do online courses (M$IE or Netscape, not even Opera, 
> and from memory it works better with M$IE).  I think I got part way through 
> with Linux Mozilla but it wouldn't allow me to use their online e-mail 
> system. properly  I was pretty disappointed to have got so close then bombed 
> out....  I am hoping there might be a Linux browser that had worked on 
> transparently mimicing M$IE.  
> 

That is highly amusing ("it would be funny, if it wasn't so serious") -
TAFE liftout in Saturday's West - page 7, bottom of second column -
Certificate IV in IT (Network Management) - Perth - "Install Networks
(Linux)" - The college teaches Linux, but is apparently unable to come to
terms with Linux.

Perhaps, Daniel, you could ask someone in charge of the IT teaching
department, why they are teaching Linux,when the college is unable to come
to terms with Linux, or, fails to recognise Linux as an operating system,
as shown by the requirement for Windows opertaing system interfacing for
online work.

Similarly, on the same page, the college appears to teach website
development (Certificate IV in information Technology (Website
Developement) - Perth), bottom left corner of page, and in top of the
second column, includes "UNIX Operating Systems", for that certificate,
but the college obviously fails to teach proper website development, of
which a fundamental principle is universal accessibility.

I seriously suggest that you take these issues up with the college IT
teaching department ("What kind of example is the college setting for
students, when the college is unable to provide a website facility such as
online teaching, that is not universally accessible, and, especially,
is not accessible to operating systems that the college is teaching?").

> Yesterday I had someone with a 'wayward' child wanting to be able to have a 
> system for internet access from home that had individual logons and something 
> to restrict and monitor access.  I was going to advise a Linux install until 
> father said he wanted to do online banking (Bank West) as well.

Not sure that it has been mentioned yet, but the ANZ Internet banking
works with Netscape 4.61 on Linux (except for some "Print
version" functions, some of the time), except that the bank refuses to
acknowledge it, and says that only Windows is supported.

I wonder when enough people are going to complain to the ACCC about the
banks' refusal to eliminate the Windows requirement for Internet banking,
and the refusal of the banks to enable and support Linux compatibility in
Internet banking - the requirement for Windows, is an instance of
restrictive trading, which (supposedly) is an offence that the ACCC is
supposd to eliminate. This could really apply to any commercial website
(and, yes, TAFE is commercial, now) that does not provide universal
accessibility.

If the Commonwealth Games website (I believe that that was the website),
was found guilty of discrimination that disadvantaged the disabled (the
blind, from memory), who tried to use the site, then, surely a similar
argument could be used to stop the restrictive trading that is inherent in
the commercial and government websites, that support only MS Windows, or,
restrict access to users using MS Windows.

Perhaps Jeremy might care to comment on that one.

-- 
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
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