OT: Canadian Census 2006
Guy Fraser
guy at incentre.net
Wed May 3 15:37:01 UTC 2006
On Tue, 2006-02-05 at 14:00 -0700, Stephen Mirowski wrote:
> Canada now allows the Census to be done online. I tried to login and
> got the current
> version of the browser not supported error. It recommended using
> Firefox, Mozilla,
> IE, Netscape, or Safari (also mentioning to use JRE > 1.4.x). Funny, I
> was using Firefox.
> So, next I tried Mozilla Suite, then Seamonkey, then Opera. No good.
> BTW, I am running
> JRE 1.5.0_06.
>
I did some forensic analysis after Googling for the website.
They check for browser spoofing and the specifically only support
browser that match these strings :
Win (netscape|firefox|Microsoft)
Mac (safari)
It appears they do not even support Netscape, Firefox or Explorer on
Macs.
If you want to check the script yourself :
wget http://www50.statcan.ca/census2006/js/browserCheck.js
The reason for what they support appears to be :
"// Check if the browser version is supported by Entrust TruePass"
But if you check Entrusts web site they do support Linux.
http://www.entrust.com/internet-security-software/specs.htm
Write your MP and tell them of your displeasure.
> Time to call the help line (going to try to submit a bug report to the
> poor call centre =).
> Well, big lineup, I stayed on the line since I wasn't going anywhere.
> It did recommend
> me to phone back at non peak hours and gave some times. 1st problem, it
> didn't give time
> zones with the times. Canada has enough timezones that that can be
> slight problem.
> Staying on the line ...
>
> After what seemed to be 30 mins, I got to speak to a rep. I mentioned
> my browser wasn't
> supported, he said I could download Firefox, etc. I said I tried that.
> Asked what my OS
> was. Linux. There followed some Ums and Ahs. Paper shuffling. Well
> it supports
> Windows and and and Um. NEways, I held for a moment while he found the
> supported
> OS lists. When he got back, he started asking about browsers, so I
> listed what I had tried
> and my Java version. Again the question what OS? Linux - Fedora Core
> 5. Oh, that's the
> problem. It supports the majority of Windows version and Mac. Okay,
> thanks.
>
It is actually their script is not allowing you, but not for any
compatibility reasons.
> What could have saved me a heap of time? Well, the browser detection
> could have used
> some novice JavaScript to detect my OS version and say NAE, you aren't
> supported.
> Instead there's code to say your browser isn't supported so go download
> a supported browser
> which is the very one you are using right now.
>
> What is the point of advising people to use multi-platform browsers and
> basing it on Java
> which is also multi-platform, yet only have it work with Windows and
> Mac? Why has
> every other Gov't Ca. website I have been to work with Firefox and
> Mozilla?
>
Because they are not using this script to deny you access.
> The Census is to find out who I am, and put me in the Stats.
> Thankfully, when I finish
> filling out my paper Census, I will be able to fill in Comments section,
> submit some
> bug reports and give them a freebee stat that isn't in the
> questionnaire: I am one of the
> Canadians whom doesn't have Mac or Windows on his computer.
>
> Stephen Mirowski
How can you be a Canadian if you don't use Windows or a Mac? :^p
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