Sites that block mozilla browsers

**mmj** · Jun 7, 2003 07:10

Just saw this in mozillazine - a list of sites that detect if you are using Mozilla, and block your site if you are.

http://toastytech.com/good/badsitelist.html

Some of the error messages are hilarious. For example, one site says

To protect you from certain usability and/or security issues we currently do not support Opera, Mozilla, earlier versions of Netscape or IE. If your preferred browser is not supported, we recommend that you consider co-installing a supported version

It then doesn't allow access to the site, and instead provides download links for IE or Netscape (which is based on Mozilla anyway, of course).

What kind of "usability issues" are they referring to? Surely being blocked from viewing the site is quite a serious "usability" issue!

---

Another site says,

To view the full Kingfisher plc site, please install a new-generation browser, such as Internet Explorer 5, or Netscape 4.x.

**X Q mano** · Jun 7, 2003 07:12

Hmmm... Almost seems they don't want too many visitors...

**vgarcia** · Jun 7, 2003 11:14

A lot of the sites are using old browser detection scripts and don't want to update their site too much for "fringe" browsers, so they cut you off right away.

Intuit.com is another site that blocks you from certain areas of the site if you don't have IE. I tried doing my taxes online using (then) Phoenix and it stopped me after I tried to log in.

**pippo** · Jun 7, 2003 11:29

I'm using Firebird ( thanks to redux & c. ),
and I installed the User Agent Switcher...
so from a user-agent point of view I can be IE6
http://texturizer.net/firebird/exten...ent%20Switcher

:-) Andrea

**vgarcia** · Jun 8, 2003 06:46

Originally Posted by pippo

I'm using Firebird ( thanks to redux & c. ),
and I installed the User Agent Switcher...
so from a user-agent point of view I can be IE6
http://texturizer.net/firebird/exten...ent%20Switcher

:-) Andrea

The only problem with the UA switcher is that it causes problems with the Flash plug-in if you identify yourself as IE6

.

**M. Johansson** · Jun 8, 2003 02:44

To view the full Kingfisher plc site, please install a new-generation browser, such as Internet Explorer 5, or Netscape 4.x.

New-generation and NS4... Oxymoron of the year.

**weirdbeardmt** · Jun 9, 2003 09:33

**Ben** · Jun 9, 2003 10:51

**aaron.martone** · Jun 9, 2003 14:43

Heck, I'm gonna install script that detects if they're using a browser that I havn't supported or know that my site doesn't work, but it's just gonna warn them once.

I'll place a cookie or what not (for those who support it), warn them once that the site may not be viewed in the right manner due to the platform/browser/resolution/etc., but to DENY someone access to the site?! Neva.

That's just turning away business during normal business hours; and for the internet, normal business hours are 24/7/365

**weirdbeardmt** · Jun 10, 2003 05:03

Intentional or otherwise, this is not good.

www.odeon.co.uk

**Mincer** · Jun 10, 2003 08:42

Originally Posted by weirdbeardmt

Intentional or otherwise, this is not good.

www.odeon.co.uk

Yeah, a pretty boring website if you use Phoenix, err sorry, Firebird.

[Off Topic]

As an aside, do you think they rebranded to Firebird due to that old American favourite 'dumbing-down'? Do people not know what a Phoenix is, so calling it a 'burning bird' is more understandable?)

[/Off Topic]

Matt.

**vgarcia** · Jun 10, 2003 08:58

Nope, it was legal issues. PhoenixBIOS is putting a Web browser in their BIOS (why? I don't know, I don't see much use for it), so they informed the Mozilla group of this fact, and the name was changed.

Off Topic:

By the way, [ ot ] makes the off-topic box appear.

Originally Posted by Mincer

Yeah, a pretty boring website if you use Phoenix, err sorry, Firebird.

[Off Topic]

As an aside, do you think they rebranded to Firebird due to that old American favourite 'dumbing-down'? Do people not know what a Phoenix is, so calling it a 'burning bird' is more understandable?)

[/Off Topic]

Matt.

**Mincer** · Jun 10, 2003 09:02

Originally Posted by vgarcia

Off Topic:

By the way, [ ot ] makes the off-topic box appear.

Oooh, how lovely. I never knew that.

Matt.

**Jeremy W.** · Jun 10, 2003 09:03

As far as Intuit, it actually does a load of advanced stuff which isn't standards compliant. A lot of sites actually are still IE only for more advanced things...

J

**vgarcia** · Jun 10, 2003 10:06

I sent Odeon an e-mail letting them know that the site's navigation doesn't display in Firebird. This is their reply:

Code:

Dear Vincent,

Thank you for your e-mail.

We are aware of this problem and it is something 
that we are looking to amend. 
Research is ongoing into the issue of certain 
web browsers not working with our website.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to send 
us your comments on this matter.

Regards

Dave

So at least they're doing something about it, which I can't find fault with.

**weirdbeardmt** · Jun 10, 2003 10:11

Originally Posted by vgarcia

I sent Odeon an e-mail letting them know that the site's navigation doesn't display in Firebird. This is their reply:

Code:

Dear Vincent,

Thank you for your e-mail.

We are aware of this problem and it is something 
that we are looking to amend. 
Research is ongoing into the issue of certain 
web browsers not working with our website.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to send 
us your comments on this matter.

Regards

Dave

So at least they're doing something about it, which I can't find fault with.

Ah yes, but I emailed them, must have been 3-4 years ago when the site was first released, letting them know it didn't work in Nutscrape x (can't remember what it was then) and they said they had no plans to support it. But still, we can but try

(besides their order system flat out _doesn't_work_

)

**vgarcia** · Jun 10, 2003 10:24

Originally Posted by weirdbeardmt

Ah yes, but I emailed them, must have been 3-4 years ago when the site was first released, letting them know it didn't work in Nutscrape x (can't remember what it was then) and they said they had no plans to support it. But still, we can but try

(besides their order system flat out _doesn't_work_

)

OK so I guess they gave me a brush-off then

. I tried anyway.

**weirdbeardmt** · Jun 10, 2003 10:48

Originally Posted by vgarcia

OK so I guess they gave me a brush-off then

. I tried anyway.

/feels a campaign coming on...

Maybe if enough people complain about it / bombard them with emails, they'll do it!

**weirdbeardmt** · Jun 10, 2003 11:06

Originally Posted by weirdbeardmt

/feels a campaign coming on...

Maybe if enough people complain about it / bombard them with emails, they'll do it!

http://houston.hs6.com/~weirdbea/blog/

**Mincer** · Jun 11, 2003 02:10

Originally Posted by vgarcia

Code:

...Research is ongoing into the issue of certain 
web browsers not working with our website.

How wonderfully naive.

**Jeff Lange** · Jun 10, 2003 10:50

On that list is a microsoft media site, they warn you, but let you continue anyways... /me see no problem with that.

Also the other microsoft site, which installs things using ActiveX, I see no problem with that either, it's the same as going to a mozilla plugin site, and trying to install one of the plugins in IE....

**Jeremy W.** · Jun 10, 2003 12:56

Yup, can't remember the exact reasoning behind it, but it certainly made sense at the time

J

**Sla** · Jun 10, 2003 19:02

Some aliens went back in time and altered the calculation on the computer that was computing the meaning of life...so the number 42 came out.

**TheOriginalH** · Jun 11, 2003 05:22

*ahem*

[size=small]Sense fights back....[/size]

**Indian** · Jun 11, 2003 07:27

Originally Posted by TheOriginalH

*ahem*

[size=small]Sense fights back....[/size]

You are running Lynx, version 2.8.4rel.1libwwwFM, on a Unknown operating system. Well done! We love you.

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