Federal Student Aid Website blocks Linux

[bturrie]

Tried to use the FAFSA website to apply for student financial aid tonight. Turns out, according to their online support, they block Linux (I'm running Lucid) and only accept Windows and MAC OS. Seems a bit ironic that I have to buy a machine with an expensive commercial OS to apply for financial aid.

[Dutch70]

:lolflag:

Very well put bturrie.

[wilee-nilee]

Go to a library and use a computer there, it is actually the FF browser that is the problem I believe, user agent switcher will get you all the way to the signature and stop.

[louieb]

lol - just tried the FAFSA web site (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/#) using firefox4 in both Ubuntu and Win 7. And IE9 also in win 7.

same result - after pressing the start here button - no go.

got sent here (https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/errors?page=incompatibleBrowser)

Just wondering what browser and version are you using.

as wilee-nilee wrote - the user switcher agent should fool it.

[crossedout]

Nothing significant to contribute to what has already been said, just wanted to voice my frustration with FAFSA as well. Went through the same thing more than a year ago.

-Xout

[inkrypted]

I have run into that more times than I care to count. I always wonder how much of their infrastructure is running Linux. I am almost sure it's not being hosted on a WIndows machine.

[Learning Linux 2011]

I think the real issue is that the FAFSA staff doesn't understand Linux, therefore it cannot offer assistance.

[Old *ix Geek]

Like I always say, instead of jumping through hoops, COMPLAIN. Go here, to the FAFSA contact form (https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/contactUs?locale=en_US) and *TELL* them you're a Linux user and you do not appreciate their stupidity. (Yes, you can word it nicer than that! The point is, get your point across!)

Remind them that the MILLIONS of people using Android devices are using Linux, so if they've been under the impression that Linux wasn't something they needed to consider in their web site's design, they do now. And they'd better get moving!

By the way, anyone care to guess what operating system the FAFSA site runs on? I'll give you a hint--it's the same OS we're all using. :D



Site http://fafsa.ed.gov
Last reboot unknown
Domain ed.gov
Netblock owner Akamai Technologies


Netblock Owner IP address OS Web Server Last changed
Akamai 92.123.80.59 Linux AkamaiGHost 8-Sep-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 24-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 23-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 22-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 21-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 20-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 Linux AkamaiGHost 19-Apr-2010
Akamai 88.221.176.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 5-Jan-2010
Akamai 88.221.168.66 Linux AkamaiGHost 4-Jan-2010
Akamai 88.221.168.66 unknown AkamaiGHost 1-Jan-2010

[bturrie]

To answer one of the comments, I tried both Chromium and Firefox 4.0. When I hit a dead end, I chatted with a support person who told me Linux was "blocked". Then I wrote a complaint to the email support address. I also posted a comment on my facebook site and wrote to my nephew who is (or maybe was) one of the Gentoo developers. Mostly I'm just ranting.

BTW. When I tried my Windows 7 laptop (my work machine) the FAFSA site still failed to recognize Firefox or Chrome and sent me to the place where I could download Firefox or Chrome. From there it did let me proceed.

[pricetech]

Opera works under windows, but not under Linux.

NOTE: I did not try to go past the beginning of the application, just was able to load the first page with windows but not with Linux.

But yeah, it sucks.

[Syed75]

Wait I'll help complain!


New party ('Anon Anon') has joined the session:
Welcome to FAFSA on the Web Customer Service Live Help!
Anon Anon: Why don you support Linux? Your server IS LINUX!! :@

New party ('Amber Adams') has joined the session:
Thank you for contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center. I’m Amber Adams, your online Customer Service Representative. Give me a minute to review your question, and I’ll do my best to assist you.

Anon Anon: And it´s not right or fair!

Amber Adams: I do not have that information. You can view a list of compatible configurations here: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/beforebrowser_req.htm

Anon Anon: I saw that!

Anon Anon: But it's ironic that you don't support Linux.

Anon Anon: I mean why don't you all go buy a commercial server?

Anon Anon: That's what you want us to do right?

And then he shut his mouth..

[Old *ix Geek]

This is what I sent them via e-mail (FederalStudentAidCustomerService@ed.gov) last night; note that their contact form only allows a short message, use their e-mail address, FederalStudentAidCustomerService@ed.gov to give them MORE of your thoughts. :lolflag:


Hello,

I'm a Linux user. A Linux *ONLY* user. I was stunned to find that your site--a site that runs on...wait, what's that? Linux?!--completely ignores Linux. It's not even mentioned on your browser/OS page--the page that INCORRECTLY tells me my browser isn't compliant or current or whatever. My browser, SeaMonkey--the older sibling of Firefox, formerly known as the Mozilla Suite--is current, fully compliant, and works just fine everywhere else.

You're aware, aren't you, that there are 300,000 Android devices being activated every day? Just like your site...they're running Linux! Don't you think you'd better start designing your site to be INCLUSIVE of the millions of people who are choosing Linux, whether on their smart phones or desktops? (Or like me, smart phones, desktops, and laptops!) I do.

Thanks for listening.

[SoFl W]

I get an unsupported OS if I try accessing the Blackberry App World page (http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/unsupportedos.seam). It worked before but sometime earlier this year it stopped working. I always thought if you followed web standards it wouldn't matter what OS or browser you used.


This is what I sent them via e-mail (FederalStudentAidCustomerService@ed.gov) last night; note that their contact form only allows a short message, use their e-mail address, FederalStudentAidCustomerService@ed.gov to give them MORE of your thoughts.

The email address ends in ".gov", do you think they really care?

[Old *ix Geek]

The email address ends in ".gov", do you think they really care?If they don't, why does their contact form include technical issues with the web site?

[SoFl W]

If they don't, why does their contact form include technical issues with the web site?

Wow. Yea, you are right, the government must care, they have a place to put complaints!

[jawilljr]

A workaround is to install the firefox addon User Agent Switcher. (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/user-agent-switcher/)

What that does is make the web page think you are using IE...not firefox.

After you install the addon just goto Tools->Default User Agent and choose which IE version you want to emulate.

Worked for me... got to the login page without that dire warning.

Jerry

[CharlesA]

Moved to Cafe as this is more of a rant then a support request.

Kinda surprising that they don't like firefox 4, even on Windows. FF4 is a new release so I guess it'll take some time for it to be "supported."

Seems FF 3.6 is on the list of "supported" browsers.

In any case, I just checked with with FF4 on Windows and it had fields to enter student info. Does it not have the same on a linux box?

EDIT: Checked on my linux box and it had the same fields that it did on Windows.

[sydbat]

Wait I'll help complain!


New party ('Anon Anon') has joined the session:
Welcome to FAFSA on the Web Customer Service Live Help!
Anon Anon: Why don you support Linux? Your server IS LINUX!! :@

New party ('Amber Adams') has joined the session:
Thank you for contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center. I’m Amber Adams, your online Customer Service Representative. Give me a minute to review your question, and I’ll do my best to assist you.

Anon Anon: And it´s not right or fair!

Amber Adams: I do not have that information. You can view a list of compatible configurations here: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/beforebrowser_req.htm

Anon Anon: I saw that!

Anon Anon: But it's ironic that you don't support Linux.

Anon Anon: I mean why don't you all go buy a commercial server?

Anon Anon: That's what you want us to do right?

And then he shut his mouth..Just to let you know...you were "talking" to an automated support system. The completely unrelated "answers" to what you were asking is the big hint...

I have had this happen on a few sites that had "Live Chat" for support. When you start asking questions that are outside the purview of FAQ's, the automated system cannot answer you. However, they normally have a 'real' person (whose name is displayed) monitoring what is going on and can override the system to answer unusual questions.

[eriktheblu]

I would suspect your school would be eager to provide you with a means of completing it.

failing that:

1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or 319-337-5665.

Have them mail you the forms. There are very few government functions that cannot be accomplished through traditional means.

failing that:
Inspector General

failing that:
elected representative

[youbuntu]

Wait I'll help complain!


New party ('Anon Anon') has joined the session:
Welcome to FAFSA on the Web Customer Service Live Help!
Anon Anon: Why don you support Linux? Your server IS LINUX!! :@

New party ('Amber Adams') has joined the session:
Thank you for contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center. I’m Amber Adams, your online Customer Service Representative. Give me a minute to review your question, and I’ll do my best to assist you.

Anon Anon: And it´s not right or fair!

Amber Adams: I do not have that information. You can view a list of compatible configurations here: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/beforebrowser_req.htm

Anon Anon: I saw that!

Anon Anon: But it's ironic that you don't support Linux.

Anon Anon: I mean why don't you all go buy a commercial server?

Anon Anon: That's what you want us to do right?

And then he shut his mouth..


Wow, with that attitude, I'd have ignored you and closed the chat.

[RememberWhenItRained]

lol - just tried the FAFSA web site (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/#) using firefox4 in both Ubuntu and Win 7. And IE9 also in win 7.

same result - after pressing the start here button - no go.

got sent here (https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/errors?page=incompatibleBrowser)

Just wondering what browser and version are you using.

as wilee-nilee wrote - the user switcher agent should fool it.
strange, i used win 7 IE9 and it seemed to work fine for me.

[youbuntu]

All I have to say is... what silly admin they must have.

[samalex]

I never understood sites that check the OS and not just the Browser. Firefox is supported so that should be all it looks for, but maybe changing the Agent in FF will do the trick so it 'thinks' you're on Windows or OSX. I bet it'll work just fine then.

[zer010]

Wow, what a coincidence! I JUST got done sending them an email concerning this same issue...

I recently visited http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ and I was lead to this page, https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/errors?page=incompatibleBrowser, that informs me that my browser is incompatible. At first I thought it was because I was using the latest Firefox, version 4, but after trying to access it with version 3.6.16, I get directed to the same page. It then dawned on me that YOUR WEBSITE IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH LINUX!!!

I have tried with both Ubuntu 10.04 and Fedora 14. For the life of me, I don't understand why this is so. As I'm looking into applying for Student Aid, I'm obviously not endowed with the financial resources of the Federal Gov't to just go out and buy Microsoft's products, thus I use Linux.

I'm not sure if this a case of negligent website design or gross discrimination, but I ask that you remedy this issue post-haste and that this issue should be reviewed for all sites in the .gov domain.

Thank you for any assistance,
Zer0

PS: As you may or may not have noticed, I can use Microsoft's Hotmail service just fine using Linux....

I'm glad to see that I'm not going to be the only complaint in their inbox concerning this issue!

[Arex Bawrin]

I sent in a complaint as well. Hopefully they will listen!!!

[earthpigg]

As a student that is also only a Linux user at my home, I am sympathetic to the sentiment expressed in this thread.

However,

As long as your institution of higher learning provides compliant computers for your use, though, there is an obvious debate-ender. The same one I've heard teachers use.

Those times that I've had a teacher e-mail something to students in a format that cannot even be opened reliably on the institution's own computers, though, I'm generally all over it like white on rice.

[Dr. C]

Write to your Member of Congress and ask why the U.S. Department of Education is requiring students to pay a license fee to a private corporation in order to apply for student aid. Then quote the retail price of a Microsoft Windows license. When expressed in those terms it actually creates a serious legal problem for the government

I have use this approach very successfully here in Canada when I contacted my local Member of Parliament over a government website that required Microsoft Windows or Apple Max OS. Within a week it was compatible with GNU / Linux.

The reason this works is that government agencies have all sorts of legislative requirements that would prevent them from requiring payment to a third party in order to access services.

[kevdog]

There is a definite hypocritical standard being used here. Complaining to elected officials??? -- yea that really worked in the healthcare debate!

[Dustin2128]

Idiotic. And worse, they support IE6 under xp.

Supported Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers:
Windows XP - Internet Explorer 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0
http://news.j2ponline.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/picard-no-facepalm.jpg

[Ocxic]

i just tried with user agent switcher and it works perfectly.

[jwbrase]

i just tried with user agent switcher and it works perfectly.

That it does.

However, not everybody prefers to use Firefox. Opera, for instance, only allows you to pick one of three precooked user agent strings, none of which work on the FAFSA site. (It's a *SUPERB* browser otherwise, but that one point is rather annoying).

[CraigPaleo]

I never understood sites that check the OS and not just the Browser. Firefox is supported so that should be all it looks for, but maybe changing the Agent in FF will do the trick so it 'thinks' you're on Windows or OSX. I bet it'll work just fine then.

Why does anyone check anything any more? Don't most modern browsers follow the same standards now-a-days?

I do remember a time when if you didn't have IE for example, the page actually wouldn't render properly but I honestly can't remember the last time that's happened. Are these checkers just a relic of the past.

At least Yahoo told us that their new mail layout MIGHT not work with our OS but they still gave a link to it and it worked. At least they didn't just lock us out of it. Not that I cared about Yahoo mail. It' just an example.

[MadCow108]

Its probably just a bug. They support a large amount of browsers which is very nice. My university only supports IE and FF and nothing else. Thats annoying...
I also wrote a *friendly* email asking them to remove the OS check.

[DeadSuperHero]

Yeah, it's pretty frustrating. User Agent Switcher for FF does the trick, though. :)

[Docaltmed]

This must be a new thing. We finished filling out the FAFSA form for our daughter a couple of weeks ago and didn't have any problems at all.

[xc3RnbFO8P]

Works here in Firefox 3.6 and IE 7 (Wine)

[earthpigg]

Again, does anyone go to a college that does not provide them with computers on-campus that they can use? If so, have you taken it up with your school?

It isn't unreasonable to expect a student to go the administration building or financial aid offices of his/her school to apply for student aid to attend that school...

[Copper Bezel]

In practical terms, no.


However, not everybody prefers to use Firefox. Opera, for instance, only allows you to pick one of three precooked user agent strings, none of which work on the FAFSA site. (It's a *SUPERB* browser otherwise, but that one point is rather annoying).

What version are you running? It worked for me in Opera. "Identify" didn't, but "Mask" under site preferences did.

[Dr. C]

Again, does anyone go to a college that does not provide them with computers on-campus that they can use? If so, have you taken it up with your school?

It isn't unreasonable to expect a student to go the administration building or financial aid offices of his/her school to apply for student aid to attend that school...

What is unreasonable is to require a payment for license fees to a private corporation in order for a student to apply for student aid. It does not really matter who pays the license fees, the student, the college or someone else.

Consider for example that the college may consider lower tuition fees, hiring more professors, providing more services to students etc. to be a better expenditure of funds than needless propriety software licenses.

[Copper Bezel]

Yes, but college campuses do use Windows and other Microsoft software. You can't turn this debate into that one. There's no problem here that using open source software would solve, and the budgeting you're talking about is another issue entirely.

[AndyCinDallas]

I had something similar happen a few weeks ago when looking for part-time work; I came across a site that will only take job-applications via Internet Explorer (it was an aspx site, IIRC). I tried from within Firefox anyway (with the user-agent set to IE) - and still no go.

No way am I installing that IE rubbish on my machine, so I sent the site-owners a polite email as an FYI - and they were rather upset, to say the least :D

So much for trying to help a guy *shrug*

[beastrace91]

I just wrote a post about this last month - http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2011/03/no-fafsa-for-foss-users.html

Really annoying really. Hate our gov sometimes >.<

~Jeff

[3177]

Tried to use the FAFSA website to apply for student financial aid tonight. Turns out, according to their online support, they block Linux (I'm running Lucid) and only accept Windows and MAC OS. Seems a bit ironic that I have to buy a machine with an expensive commercial OS to apply for financial aid.

well, months ago my wife applied for hers using 10.04.
And got it, and has since.
So..... unless they changed they're practice, I don't understand.

[Johnsie]

Subject: Your website wont work on my computer because it isn't standards compliant.


Dear Sir/Madam

Your website wont work on my computer because it isn't standards compliant.

The code of your site did not pass the html validity test at http://validator.w3.org/ so may have been written badly to begin with.

A website that is written properly using the internationally recognised web standards should work on any standards-compliant browser, regardless of operating system. This is the reason web standards were introduced in the first place. Websites should not be restricted to only Microsoft customers as that is anti-competitive and ignorant of the fact that many people choose to purchase or use alternative non-Microsoft products which are still web standards compliant. Web standards are governed by a whole myriad of companies working together to ensure that the Internet is accessible to as many people as possible, including users who have physical disabilities. For more information about web standards please visit the site at http://www.w3.org/standards/

Here are some useful links about web standards:

Purposes of Web Standards:
http://www.w3.org/Consortium/

All the major tech companies use web standards:
http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Member/List


Please rectify your website to ensure that it meets modern web standards. I look forward to hearing from you to find out how you are progressing with making your site more standards compliant. Please respond in a timely manner with information about how and when your development team plan to fix the irregularities within your website.

[Speedwagon]

I just went through 2 online techs, a phone tech, and 2 phone supervisors. I finally got an answer as to who I should send my complaint to on this.

Federal Student Aid Information Center
ATTN: Victor Woodhouse
PO Box 84
Washington, DC 20044

Let's let this man know that Linux is serious business.
http://www.stormmovie.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Success-Kid-INTERNET-SERIOUS-BUSINESS-300x300.jpg

I also find it ironic, that despite blocking Linux(which they actually claim they don't when you talk to them on the phone), there is this statement on the bottom of the error page:

*Compliant Web Browser - Standard
For the past few years, every major Web browser released has been built around a set of open standards designated by the World Wide Web Consortium, a non-profit organization charged with overseeing the continuing development of the Web. What this means is that one piece of code now looks the same on every modern browser, whether it be Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, or others. The majority of our users are using these modern browsers, so we can present content which is optimized for them.

I was also told that beginning in 2011, they had redone the website, and that is when they started this not-blocking blocking Linux garbage.

[cap10Ibraim]

Like I always say, instead of jumping through hoops, COMPLAIN. Go here, to the FAFSA contact form (https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/contactUs?locale=en_US) and *TELL* them you're a Linux user and you do not appreciate their stupidity. (Yes, you can word it nicer than that! The point is, get your point across!)

Remind them that the MILLIONS of people using Android devices are using Linux, so if they've been under the impression that Linux wasn't something they needed to consider in their web site's design, they do now. And they'd better get moving!

By the way, anyone care to guess what operating system the FAFSA site runs on? I'll give you a hint--it's the same OS we're all using. :D



Site http://fafsa.ed.gov
Last reboot unknown
Domain ed.gov
Netblock owner Akamai Technologies


Netblock Owner IP address OS Web Server Last changed
Akamai 92.123.80.59 Linux AkamaiGHost 8-Sep-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 24-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 23-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 22-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 21-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 20-Apr-2010
Akamai 92.123.80.59 Linux AkamaiGHost 19-Apr-2010
Akamai 88.221.176.59 unknown AkamaiGHost 5-Jan-2010
Akamai 88.221.168.66 Linux AkamaiGHost 4-Jan-2010
Akamai 88.221.168.66 unknown AkamaiGHost 1-Jan-2010
i got

Aggressive OS guesses: IBM AIX 5.3 (85%)

[Bandit]

Tried to use the FAFSA website to apply for student financial aid tonight. Turns out, according to their online support, they block Linux (I'm running Lucid) and only accept Windows and MAC OS. Seems a bit ironic that I have to buy a machine with an expensive commercial OS to apply for financial aid.

How is it blocking it. Works fine here and has for almost 2 years.

Can you post a screen shot. I am very curious. It may have been something some numskull did this past month or two since I didnt use student aid for the summer.

[Speedwagon]

How is it blocking it. Works fine here and has for almost 2 years.

Can you post a screen shot. I am very curious. It may have been something some numskull did this past month or two since I didnt use student aid for the summer.

When I go there, it just puts me at this screen:

https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/errors?page=incompatibleBrowser

At the bottom, it has:

[Opera/9.80 (X11; Linux x86_64; U; en) Presto/2.9.168 Version/11.50]
[BrowserDetectService:OS[UNKNOWN] browser[OPERA] browser version[OPERA9] AppName[FAFSA1112] detection status [BLOCKED]]

[wolfen69]

When I go there, it just puts me at this screen:

https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/errors?page=incompatibleBrowser

At the bottom, it has:

It also takes me to the same screen.

[h4x0l2]

Tried to use the FAFSA website to apply for student financial aid tonight. Turns out, according to their online support, they block Linux (I'm running Lucid) and only accept Windows and MAC OS. Seems a bit ironic that I have to buy a machine with an expensive commercial OS to apply for financial aid.

Thanks big brother for knowing what is best for all mankind :rolleyes:

[CharlesA]

Interesting. I got redirected when I tried to use FF5 on Windows 7, but just got the "unsupported browser detected" message when I tried to use IE9.

I got the "unsupported browser" when using Linux, but it worked earlier, so maybe the changed they made added "better" browser detection.

Also - UserAgent Switcher = win.

[Primefalcon]

Funny I got an incompatiable browser (I am running chrome 12), support chrome browsers are...


Supported Google Chrome browsers:
Windows XP - Google Chrome 6.0.x
Windows Vista - Google Chrome 6.0.x
Windows 7 - Google Chrome 8.0.x
Windows 7 - Google Chrome 7.0.x
Windows 7 - Google Chrome 6.0.x
Windows 7 - Google Chrome 5.0.x
Macintosh Operating System 10.5 - Google Chrome 6.0.x


so what the are telling everyone not to upgrade browsers?

but then they have they have the audacity to say this...

*Compliant Web Browser - Standard
For the past few years, every major Web browser released has been built around a set of open standards designated by the World Wide Web Consortium, a non-profit organization charged with overseeing the continuing development of the Web. What this means is that one piece of code now looks the same on every modern browser, whether it be Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, or others. The majority of our users are using these modern browsers, so we can present content which is optimized for them.

they're a joke!

[uRock]

I have not had any problems accessing my FASFA via Ubuntu's browsers. I just accessed my info using Chromium with no issues.

[Primefalcon]

I have not had any problems accessing my FASFA via Ubuntu's browsers. I just accessed my info using Chromium with no issues.
click on "Start Here"

[Bandit]

When I go there, it just puts me at this screen:

https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/errors?page=incompatibleBrowser

At the bottom, it has:

Well thats some crap. They must have just put this in recently.
Incompatible browser my ***.

[uRock]

click on "Start Here"

I did that last year. Had no problems.

[zer010]

Just clicked "Start Here" and I still get the "incompatible browser" page. :mad:

[chili555]

I changed the useragent to IE8, pressed Start Here and got the login page; please see attached.

[uRock]

Just logged in using user agent switcher, which can be found here https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/user-agent-switcher/
196351

Edit: See what happens when I type then walk away, then come back and click to post, lol.

[yEvb0]

from my discussion with tech support chat:

support: What Internet Browser are you using? (Such as Internet Explorer 6 or 7 or 8, Firefox 2 or 2.5 or 3 or 3.6, Google Chrome 5.0 or 6.0 or 7.0, Safari 4.0 or 4.1, Opera, etc)

me: I have Chrome, Firefox, and Opera (latest versions of each). the easiest solution to my problem is to use a different computer (or use some add-ons available for firefox). I just thought I would let you guys know that it is silly to block access from the is operating system. you support the same browsers on other OSs, and it is really just creating a hassle, when there isn't any technical reason not to support it

support: next year hopefully our website will be up to date.

me: I was hoping you could suggest an easy way to access FAFSA using this computer, since it's the only one I've got (I'd have to go out to the library, or try to use an add-on to trick your system into thinking I'm on Windows)

support: Unfortunately if you have the most up to date version of any Internet browser it won't work. So the only option is to go to your local library or school to fill it out.

me: wait, the *newest* browsers won't work?

support: Correct.

Evan Bradley: so I have to hope that the library's computers are out-of-date?

support: They most likely will be a version that we support.

me: but that makes even *less* sense than not supporting an OS

support: Our IT department hasn't updated our website to support the latest version, it hopefully will be updated by next year.

me: great, hopefully my school won't update their browsers before then ;)

[zer010]

Ah...the wonders of bureaucracy....:rolleyes:

[NCLI]

Ah...the wonders of bureaucracy....:rolleyes:
I think this has more to do with incompetent server administrators...

[fdrake]

support: Our IT department hasn't updated our website to support the latest version, it hopefully will be updated by next year.


that's the results of billions of $ invested in IT for the gov . . ., i am not surprised at all. if it wasn't for turbo tax (and other third party company) on-line tax payments in this country would be a nightmare....