The joys of vendor lock in (1 Viewer)

Martin

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2000
56,913
#1
Mac and Linux users blacklisted from hurricane relief

Administration only gives cash to Microsoft users

By Nick Farrell: Thursday 08 September 2005, 07:51
THE NOW very much criticised US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has stopped Mac and Linux victims of hurricane Katrina from applying for relief.

The agency, which is already in hot water for its lack-lustre rescue efforts in New Orleans, has created a web-based service that only works for users of Windows and IE6.

So far only Mac users that have Opera, which can make an attempt to show that it is an IE6 machine, are able to access the claims service.

According to online magazine Ars Technica, relief workers are frustrated at being tied to Windows by FEMA's online services.

They have to spend precious aid money on Windows OS licenses as they set up terminals to help thousands of hurricane victims initiate the claims process.

They are complaining that Windows XP workstations take ages to set up, patch and configure, when they could do the whole thing a lot quicker on Linux.

Some hardware, which has been donated to the cause, will not run Windows XP.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=26013
 

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Gandalf

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2003
2,038
#4
++ [ originally posted by Alucard Belmont ] ++
wow, that sure was piece of shit.
does it mean when the server detected that users don't use IE. it won't work at all or only some compatibility issues?
no, it's just a compatibility issue..
 

mikhail

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2003
9,576
#5
++ [ originally posted by iBianconeri ] ++
I highly doubt this problem tops Fema's list of priorities.
IT shouldn't be an issue to begin with. The sooner people stop paying web developers for shit that only works with 70% of users the better.
 

Chxta

Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe
Nov 1, 2004
12,088
#6
++ [ originally posted by mikhail ] ++

IT shouldn't be an issue to begin with. The sooner people stop paying web developers for shit that only works with 70% of users the better.
So whose side are you on? Microsoft or Open Source?
 
Oct 1, 2002
2,090
#7
++ [ originally posted by mikhail ] ++

IT shouldn't be an issue to begin with. The sooner people stop paying web developers for shit that only works with 70% of users the better.
I think Microsoft must take the blame here, why would they create the double standard. It gives pain to the developers as well.:groan:
 

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