Canadian Forces website does not allow potential soldiers to use Linux

[altonbr]

https://blrscr3.egs-seg.gc.ca/forces/recruiting-recrutement/public/engraph/browserChk_e.aspx

Yeah. The Canadian Government is in bed with Microsoft (see any of their websites) so it doesn't surprise me that they have a browser check when trying to sign up for the Canadian Forces.

Thank God for the "Entrust TruePass™ Browser Compatibility" test because without it, legitimate potential soldiers using Mac OS X or Linux might have been able to take part.

Luckily for me (and sad for 'Entrust'), ies4linux (ie6) and changing my user agent string can easily trick it. Why do they need some sort of proprietary test to check the user agent string? That's sad.

Has anyone else encountered this problem or know who to contact to complain?

What about people like RMS, would they be interested in this? I am because I'm all about transparency and accessibility and when Linux as an operating system is denied (merely because of the user agent string), I get quite frustrated.

Thanks for listening.

[earthpigg]

thats... idiotic.

turning away ~10% of their potential recruits.

they may as well ban left handed people, as well.

[pp.]

Arn't you a bit overreacting?

They said that their site failed the compatibility test with your OS. It's their failure, Advise them of it and sit back.

[EnGorDiaz]

wow.... i looked up there os on the server and its a windows server

[blakjesus]

What about the people wanting to join the technology field in the armed forces?

Please don't tell me that those guys use Windows too. ;)

[Giant Speck]

Why in the heck would you sign up for the military online?

[earthpigg]

Why in the heck would you sign up for the military online?

my guess is he is signing up to have his contact info passed onto a recruiter.

[utnubuuser]

Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC, has proprietary formats too.
We're a British colony after all.

[Paqman]

What about the people wanting to join the technology field in the armed forces?

Please don't tell me that those guys use Windows too. ;)

You'd be surprised. Most militaries use a lot of commercial off-the-shelf IT hardware. Which undoubtedly means Windows.

[Sealbhach]

Another example of "military intelligence".


.

[Bölvaður]

It's not compatibility test. This is a security test.
It is just disguised a little bit by switching Pass and Fail in the output around.


Pass Operating system
Pass Supported browser
Pass Cookies are enabled
Pass Javascript is enabled

"It's party time... drive through shootings here we come."

[SupaSonic]

Why would you do this anywhere is beyond me. Why you would actually show this idiotic process to the user...

It even fails with Chrome on Windows.

[pp.]

What about the people wanting to join the technology field in the armed forces?

Presume that it's an aptitude test. If you want to join in the technology field you are supposed to be able to follow the basic steps needed to access their site.

):P

[speedwell68]

Oh no I can't be a Mountie, bummer man.:D

Perhaps it is a ploy to keep all of us damn liberal, sandal wearing, linux using hippies out of the forces.

[altonbr]

Arn't you a bit overreacting?

They said that their site failed the compatibility test with your OS. It's their failure, Advise them of it and sit back.

feedback@forces.ca -- I'm contacting them and I would appreciate it if you could send a 5-minute e-mail as well!

I've had problems with all sorts of their services and I've tried time and time again to send e-mails to whoever is listed on their website. I receive no response and see no changes over a years time. I'm sure this will be the same.

[wrtpeeps]

thats... idiotic.

turning away ~10% of their potential recruits.

they may as well ban left handed people, as well.

Aye, better divide that figure by 10.

[HermanAB]

The Canadian government systems are mostly ******* based, but UNIX (and Linux) is scattered around too, eh.

[lswb]

Man, if the canadian military is anything like the US you better just get used to a bunch of rules that appear to have no logical reason.

[earthpigg]

Aye, better divide that figure by 10.

he said it affected apple users, too ;)

[sydbat]

When the Canadian Forces advertise for IT positions, it is all Windows...everything. Is it because there is more military software written for Windows? Nope. Most of the job postings talk about off-the-shelf programs. My guess is, the Canadian military figures it is cheaper to run Windows overall because they can go buy the basic programs they want at London Drugs.