Help! Linux not supported with online Canadian census

[darrenrxm]

Does anyone know how to get around this so that I can fill out the census? It works with the windows version of firefox but not the linux version.

Anyone, anyone?

Link to the website

http://www50.statcan.ca/census2006/


Web browser

To make sure that you can complete your census questionnaire securely and confidentially, you must use a Web browser that has 128-bit secure socket layer (SSL) encryption.

If you don't have a browser that meets this security standard, you can download one to your computer.

* Microsoft Internet Explorer can be downloaded from the Microsoft Web site.
* Netscape Navigator can be downloaded from the Netscape Web site.
* Firefox can be downloaded from the Mozilla Web site.
* Mozilla can be downloaded from the Mozilla Web site.
* MacIntosh users can download the appropriate version of Safari from the Apple Web site.

[ragoutoutou]

Do you have a proper JVM installed? A Java Runtime Environment is required...


Java virtual machine

This site requires a browser with Java virtual machine (JVM) from Sun Microsystems Inc. (Version 1.4.2_3 or higher), Microsoft virtual machine (all versions), or Apple JVM (Version 1.4.2_5 or higher). A JVM is used to run the Java program on your browser. Most browsers are bundled with a JVM by default.

You can download a recent version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), which includes the Java virtual machine, from the Sun Microsystems Inc. Web site.

[darrenrxm]

Do you have a proper JVM installed? A Java Runtime Environment is required...



Yes, I do and they made sure that linux wasn't supported on purpose. So, is their a way around this? Fooling them into thinking linux is windows?

[Sef]

NM. It says you need either Windows or Apple.


Supported operating systems and Web browsers

Windows XP Windows ME or 2000 Windows 98 or NT Mac
Internet Explorer 7.0
Internet Explorer 6.0
Internet Explorer 5.5
Internet Explorer 5.01
Netscape Navigator 7.0 or higher
Firefox 1.0.4
Mozilla 1.7.8
Safari 1.2.4 with webkit 125.5.7

[kanem]

Yes, I do and they made sure that linux wasn't supported on purpose. So, is their a way around this? Fooling them into thinking linux is windows?
I'm sorry I don't have the answer to how to fix this, but it seems to me that we shouldn't be the ones worrying about it. Isn't the onus on them (the government) to make sure that we can complete the census? Is there some benefit to us for completing it?

Maybe a few complaints to whomever is responsible would eventually solve the problem. I'm not in Canada at the moment, and didn't even know about the online census, but I think I'll send a friendly note saying something to the effect of "Sorry, but I can't complete the census because for some reason you won't support GNU/Linux even though both Firefox and Java exist on the platform. Guess you'll have to pay someone to drop by my house." Probably not those exact words though...

[Footissimo]

Hi

I wonder if this is more to do with the fact that Ubuntu Breezy is still using Firefox 1.0* rather than Linux itself.

Anyway, I installed the User Agent Switcher (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/59/) and pretended to be IE 6 and it gets to the page where you input your number, so I guess it works. I'm not Canadian, so I can't test it any further.

Hope that helps

[Kvark]

Use the User Agent Switcher (https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=59) extension to fool them that you use Windows. If that works then send them an email explaining that their site worked just fine for you with Firefox and Java on Linux once you got around their error message so they should add it to their list of supported platforms.

edit: bah, too slow.

[Virogenesis]

"Sorry, but I can't complete the census because for some reason you won't support GNU/Linux even though both Firefox and Java exist on the platform.
No need to mention GNU just mention Linux its less confusing and less geeky.

To whom it may corcern.

This is a better way of explaining, Hi I'm currently experiencing problems filling in your form and I understand your doing checks for windows or mac.
As I'm running Linux I'm finding it some what difficult filling in this form of yours due to your validation checks now, Mozilla & Java both run on linux so you shouldn't experience any problems with supporting this platform.
Please could this be fixed

Thank you

I look forward to your reply.

[nursegirl]

I was going to fill out the census using my Mac, but now I'm going to purposefully fill it out using my Ubuntu box and send a letter of complaint. If they're going to accept Firefox, then I think that purposefully checking the User Agent to see that it says Windows/OS X is ridiculous.

My MP will be hearing from me, as well as StatsCan and others.

[zubrug]

It worked for myself in both firefox & Opera

[NeghVar]

Well thats the conservatives for ya, make everyone use the proprietary stuff so their friends all get rich...

Seriously though, that is ridiculous, last time I checked there was some kind of law about equal access to information and government services. To specifically check to see if you are running MS or Mac has no place on a government website, especially when you are cutting down on paper and saving the government money.

I'll be firing off an email or two about this, such blunt discrimination needs to be halted quickly.

[towsonu2003]

On newsforge:

http://trends.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=06/05/04/233250&from=rss

Doesn't look promising... Call them, than email them, than fax them. Than ask your friends and relatives to do the same. And their friends and relatives and so on.

Research the Canadian constitution about people's access to information, than write up a little article and send it to Canadian newspapers and magazines.

If someone accidentally accepts your submission, send your article (printed form) to them as well.

Than use the paper form, and ask them (legal-looking letter) to pay your postage and your lost time (you going to the post office).

[darrenrxm]

I still can't get it to work with the user agent switcher. Thankyou guys for your help and suggestions anyway. I guess I will add my name to the list of people who want linux support for the census. It's absolutely ridicious that it only works on the windows version of firefox.

[briancurtin]

if i lived in canada, id just **** the census and not do it. calling them up probably isnt going to do much because you are going to get some assistant who doesnt know down from up.

[mentok]

I just filled out the paper version and mailed it in using the postage-paid envelope. I never tried the website.

A very low-tech solution to a high-tech problem :cool:

[nursegirl]

if i lived in canada, id just **** the census and not do it.

Unfortunately, all of the census envelopes say something about being legally mandated to respond. That's a real problem if they aren't going to make online reponding equally accessible to all citizens.

[Dr. C]

My suggestion is to contact your Member of Parliament with your concerns. The requirement by Statistics Canada to pay Microsoft or Apple hundreds of dollars in software license fees in order to use a government site raises many issues ranging from discrimination against low income and fixed income Canadians to unfair intervention in the marketplace by Canadian Government. They are favouring certain companies Microsoft and Apple over other companies Canonical. IBM, Xandros, Red Hat etc.

If every MP starts getting letters from their constituents on this action will take place, if not for the census for future e-government projects in Canada.

As for the census form itself I would send it in by paper.

[Stew2]

It wouldnt work with my Ubuntu machine either. I used my XP machine to fill it out and then at the end of the census they have a comments box that you can type in. I voiced my displeasure with the lack of support for Linux operating sysems in this box. As well as the repetitiveness of some of the questions ;) .

Regards
Stew

[Kimm]

The windows version of Firefox runns in Wine, maby you could try that?
But you should still send e-mails and make calls etc.

[Limulus]

The windows version of Firefox runns in Wine, maby you could try that?
Actually, there's no need to go that far; as was previously mentioned, the User Agent Switcher extension for Firefox makes it work... you can even use the real user agent string (see Help -> About Firefox). Here's what I used to test it just now:



Description: Spoofed Firefox for 2006 Census
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.8.0.3) Gecko/20060510 Ubuntu/dapper Firefox/1.5.0.3
App Name: Netscape
App Version: 5.0 (Windows; en-US; actually its Ubuntu Linux but I have to spoof this to get it working right)

[Limulus]

Oh and don't forget that you need Sun's Java; you can get that from the PLF (see my page for more info: http://members.shaw.ca/Limulus/ubuntu.html)

[Limulus]

Oh and don't forget that you need Sun's Java; you can get that from the PLF (see my page for more info: http://members.shaw.ca/Limulus/ubuntu.html)
And you can test your Java installation here: http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml

[Limulus]

Does anyone know how to get around this so that I can fill out the census? It works with the windows version of firefox but not the linux version. Anyone, anyone?

Link to the website http://www50.statcan.ca/census2006/
Ah! I have discovered an even better solution!

What the spoofing I mentioned in one of my earlier replies does is get you past an annoying little chunk of code that checks to see if you're running Windows or MacOS... however, once past that it doesn't seem to check again :) So you can skip the spoofed App Version and just go directly to:

http://www50.statcan.ca/census2006/webvalidationprocess/seal-16-ScriptWarning_e.htm?lang=e&page=/statcan/LoginEN.jsp&listener=/statcan/Entrust/EventListener.js&signApp=TRUE

[darrenrxm]

Limulus,

Thankyou for the solution to my problem. It worked perfectly for me. But I wish we didn't have to resort to this sort of thing. Anyway, I did leave a mention of linux support in the comments section of the census.

And I do have java properly installed. Thankyou for showing that link.

[mqy]

Hello fellow Canadian Ubuntu users,

It looks like I haven't been the only one complaining to the Canadian census bureau about the lack of support for alternative OSes.

Statistics Canada has updated its online census questionnaire TODAY and now supports Linux! See advisory (http://www12.statcan.ca/IRC/english/advisory_e.htm) (or in French (http://www12.statcan.ca/IRC/francais/advisory_f.htm)).

It's about time, the deadline is in 3 days!

[Hygelac]

Hello fellow Canadian Ubuntu users,

It looks like I haven't been the only one complaining to the Canadian census bureau about the lack of support for alternative OSes.

Statistics Canada has updated its online census questionnaire TODAY and now supports Linux! See advisory (http://www12.statcan.ca/IRC/english/advisory_e.htm) (or in French (http://www12.statcan.ca/IRC/francais/advisory_f.htm)).

It's about time, the deadline is in 3 days!
I may not have to fill-out a census form, but this still makes me feel good. :mrgreen:

[towsonu2003]

Hello fellow Canadian Ubuntu users,

It looks like I haven't been the only one complaining to the Canadian census bureau about the lack of support for alternative OSes.

Statistics Canada has updated its online census questionnaire TODAY and now supports Linux! See advisory (http://www12.statcan.ca/IRC/english/advisory_e.htm) (or in French (http://www12.statcan.ca/IRC/francais/advisory_f.htm)).

It's about time, the deadline is in 3 days!
wow

[Dr. C]

This announcment is great news

The Statistics Canada does work now with Dapper using FireFox with the latest Sun Java installed.

Many thanks to those who contacted their MP or Statistics Canada about this. I wrote to my MP on May 6, and have not heard from him yet, but it is clear to me that the Federal Government did listen to and has acted upon our concerns.

[Limulus]

The Statistics Canada does work now with Dapper using FireFox with the latest Sun Java installed.
FYI, it also works with Mozilla, Galeon or Epiphany in Dapper :)

[nalmeth]

Great news, I was going to ask for a link to send some emails. :evil:

Great response time, 'eh'?

[nursegirl]

Wow. This makes me happy to be Canadian. Great response time to an issue of accessibility.