Bank recommends Win98

[forestpixie]

I had a bit of a problem with Hardy, Firefox 3 and my banks website - so thought I'd let them know.

While I didn't really expect anything other than - Linux isn't supported, use Windows and IE - I wasn't expecting this


We would like to inform you that Linux is not supported for Personal Internet Banking , you need to use either Win 98 and above with Internet Explorer

Quite flabbergasted - I was under the impression win98 didn't receive any of the 'monthly catchalls too late' that win send the their users.

[CyberBob]

Sounds like it might be time to find a new bank ... :lolflag:

[chucky chuckaluck]

i'll bet they give out free sony walkmans with each deposit of over $5000.

[init1]

Have you tried changing your user agent?
If you have a win95 install disk, maybe you can run it in VirtualBox :D

[mips]

i'll bet they give out free sony walkmans with each deposit of over $5000.

Don't joke, some banks will give you a rifle when you open an account :)

[cardinals_fan]

Windows 98 was the best IMHO. Maybe your bank was smart enough to stay where it was safe... but not smart enough to install Linux :)

[LaRoza]

Windows 98 was the best IMHO. Maybe your bank was smart enough to stay where it was safe... but not smart enough to install Linux :)

smart? FAT32 is not secure at all...

[cardinals_fan]

smart? FAT32 is not secure at all...

Ok, ok. But it was always nicer than XP (and certainly better than Vista).

[init1]

Ok, ok. But it was always nicer than XP (and certainly better than Vista).
Yeah I like that retro Windows look and feel. Windows 3.1 is even better for that :D

[chucky chuckaluck]

Don't joke, some banks will give you a rifle when you open an account :)

at least you can still buy bullets for a rifle.

[scottro]

This is a case where you should mention the bank, so that other people don't open accounts there.

Sooner or later, they might get wise to the fact that it hurts their business.

I had an amusing run in with Citibank. Their CIticards site wasn't working with Linux or BSD. 2 minutes of googling found the fix (temporarily disable plugins--the problem is apparently due to a flash bug that was quickly fixed--most sites updated but not Citibank.)

I wrote them with the fix, saying this might help if Linux using people complained. They wrote back that they don't support Linux.

I guess they didn't read it very closely.

[jose_ramirez]

I had a bit of a problem with Hardy, Firefox 3 and my banks website - so thought I'd let them know.

While I didn't really expect anything other than - Linux isn't supported, use Windows and IE - I wasn't expecting this



Quite flabbergasted - I was under the impression win98 didn't receive any of the 'monthly catchalls too late' that win send the their users.

Have you tried installing Internet Explorer under Linux? http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/page/Installation

Regards,

Jose

[toupeiro]

Having worked as a banks system administrator for two years -- LEAVE THAT BANK!!!

[forestpixie]

Hi - all no rifles or dollars in my bank - we don't have them in the UK :) well we do have rifles but not as much as others.

To those suggesting IE under wine or vbox - it only appears to be firefox 3 that's causing a problem - ff2 still works ok.

I just thought that it was a blast - when I get the reply to my second e-mail I'll post it - assuming that they do.

[3rdalbum]

i'll bet they give out free sony walkmans with each deposit of over $5000.

Why is that bad?

http://www.sony.com.au/walkman/catalog/product.jsp?categoryId=30333

[jespdj]

You can only use online banking with Windows and IE? What about Mac users? Are they also excluded?

That's totally stupid. That means that they hired incompetent web developers for building their online banking application.

Anyway, try running IE under Linux as José suggests above.

[LaRoza]

That's totally stupid. That means that they hired incompetent web developers for building their online banking application.

Anyway, try running IE under Linux as José suggests above.

It was most likely not the web developer's idea. We just follow the specs.

[mozetti]

Notice that it says Win98 & above. For web applications, the browser's capabilities are more important than the OS. The functions of the web interface for the bank probably aren't overly-complicated, and thus whatever the highest version of IE that Win98 supports is fine.

I'm sure there are alot of people that still use Win98 -- my mother-in-law for example. Your bank shouldn't require you to upgrade your computer or OS just to access its web-interface.

[chucky chuckaluck]

Why is that bad?

http://www.sony.com.au/walkman/catalog/product.jsp?categoryId=30333

i was thinking of the cassette player.

[Spike-X]

Windows 98 was the best IMHO.

The best at what? Making your computer crash every half hour?

[Spike-X]

Notice that it says Win98 & above. For web applications, the browser's capabilities are more important than the OS. The functions of the web interface for the bank probably aren't overly-complicated, and thus whatever the highest version of IE that Win98 supports is fine.

I'm sure there are alot of people that still use Win98 -- my mother-in-law for example. Your bank shouldn't require you to upgrade your computer or OS just to access its web-interface.
Nor should it require you to run a particular brand of proprietary software.

[Tom Mann]

I would like to publicly denounce Natwest for not supporting Linux under Firefox - Though they support Mac OSX (which as we all know is a unix-based kernel)... And Win95 up to Vista.

Nationwide Building Society is wonderful though :)

[Jeff Rage]

I have one frined who does IT for a living. He's also a RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer.) And he still uses Windows 98 on one of his boxes. Oddly, he claims he never had problems with it.

[BLTicklemonster]

I think it's funny that banks force people to use the Internet Virus/Hack/KeyLogger Magnet Explorer. Okay, not funny as in ha ha, but funny as in lmao morons.

In the same vein, but on a slightly different capillary...

I had a conversation with one of our I(dio)T guys not too long ago, and he stated that Linux was worthless as corporate software because, being open source, it's not secure. He also let a cat out of the bag by inferring that the main reason they are such peckerheads about security is so that the (get this) "chain of evidence" isn't broken. See, if I let someone on my computer using my username and password, then I am not "the one", so anything they try to nail me with (let's see, yeah, I'm working my butt off, and browsing pron all day. Right. Not, no time to.) anything. So, we all share our passwords system wide, and log on and off each other's account on a regular basis. You'd think they notice this, but they don't. Heck, we've had every machine in our office logged in under one account for 3 days before.

No, not the brightest idea in the world, but no one in the entire system where I work thinks the I(dio)T guys are good enough to get jobs flipping burgers, much less working doing what they mess up. I mean do.

[cprofitt]

Having worked as a banks system administrator for two years -- LEAVE THAT BANK!!!

Yep -- leave and leave fast.
+1

[RAV TUX]

I had a bit of a problem with Hardy, Firefox 3 and my banks website - so thought I'd let them know.

While I didn't really expect anything other than - Linux isn't supported, use Windows and IE - I wasn't expecting this



Quite flabbergasted - I was under the impression win98 didn't receive any of the 'monthly catchalls too late' that win send the their users.

Switch Banks! Can you really trust these people with your money?

Which brings up a good question, are there any banks that use linux?

[metalf8801]

Ok, ok. But it was always nicer than XP (and certainly better than Vista).

no way XP is a lot better then win 98

[koenn]

I'm sure there are alot of people that still use Win98 -- my mother-in-law for example. Your bank shouldn't require you to upgrade your computer or OS just to access its web-interface.

True, but then your bank should also not require you to use a specific browser - web applications are all about being platform-independent.

And Win98 is definitely a bad choice for online banking : no filesystem secuity, no user separation, and a browser with full access to all of the OS - the ideal victim for web-based exploits.

[ellis rowell]

My banks (LloydsTSB and Egg) doesn't have this problem. I use Firefox with Ubuntu to manage my accounts.

If your bank is short sighted enough to restrict their customers its time to migrate to another.

[LaRoza]

I had a conversation with one of our I(dio)T guys not too long ago, and he stated that Linux was worthless as corporate software because, being open source, it's not secure. He also let a cat out of the bag by inferring that the main reason they are such peckerheads about security is so that the (get this) "chain of evidence" isn't broken. See, if I let someone on my computer using my username and password, then I am not "the one", so anything they try to nail me with (let's see, yeah, I'm working my butt off, and browsing pron all day. Right. Not, no time to.) anything. So, we all share our passwords system wide, and log on and off each other's account on a regular basis. You'd think they notice this, but they don't. Heck, we've had every machine in our office logged in under one account for 3 days before.

No, not the brightest idea in the world, but no one in the entire system where I work thinks the I(dio)T guys are good enough to get jobs flipping burgers, much less working doing what they mess up. I mean do.

Tell the security by obscurity doesn't work. Linux is so secure because it is open source.

[Teber]

i managed my bank account with explorer based maxthon. that was before i was borne again...

now i use firefox running under ubuntu. no problem there.

i agree that managing bank accounts should be fully cross browser compatible. the software should run server only anyway, if only for security reasons.

could it be that bank officers are very much like the general public and look at computers through a window of tunnel vision?

[Kernel Sanders]

Um.... really, what's the problem here?

Lots of places only support IE. It's sad but true :(

In this case the bank haven't "recommended Windows 98" at all. They have simply said that you need to use Windows 98 OR ABOVE with Internet Explorer, meaning that Windows 98 with IE is the MINIMUM they'll support.

Lets not let out desire to bash get in the way of the facts now shall we?

[LaRoza]

Um.... really, what's the problem here?

Lots of places only support IE. It's sad but true :(

In this case the bank haven't "recommended Windows 98" at all. They have simply said that you need to use Windows 98 OR ABOVE with Internet Explorer, meaning that Windows 98 with IE is the MINIMUM they'll support.

Lets not let out desire to bash get in the way of the facts now shall we?

So if they said "requires Opera 9.1 or higher on Mac OS X 10.2 or higher" you would think it was fine?

Not everyone has access to Windows, it is expensive. Just because it has a big market share, that doesn't mean anything.

[koenn]

Um.... really, what's the problem here?

Lots of places only support IE. It's sad but true :(

In this case the bank haven't "recommended Windows 98" at all. They have simply said that you need to use Windows 98 OR ABOVE with Internet Explorer, meaning that Windows 98 with IE is the MINIMUM they'll support.

Lets not let out desire to bash get in the way of the facts now shall we?
if a bank (or any business with online transactions) is going to set minimal requirements, then they might as well require something safe. Win98 is simply unacceptable for such activity. Obviously they don't care a lot about their customers.

+ what LaRoza said

my bank's requirements for online banking : "you'll need a computer with internet access" + some recommendations about web security.

[Ebuntor]

I'm curious why would using Linux make difference for their website? I mean I understand that the browser can make a difference but what does the operating system have to do with this?

[BigSilly]

Um.... really, what's the problem here?

Lots of places only support IE. It's sad but true :(

In this case the bank haven't "recommended Windows 98" at all. They have simply said that you need to use Windows 98 OR ABOVE with Internet Explorer, meaning that Windows 98 with IE is the MINIMUM they'll support.

Lets not let out desire to bash get in the way of the facts now shall we?

Eh? This attitude is no use at all in the ongoing fight for more even standards. What right is it of the bank to demand you have a certain OS in order to access their services. Services, I might add, that they make money from? And not only that, but as someone has already mentioned, they're not even secure standards at that.

I'll put it this way - my money is important to me. I don't just sacrifice it unwittingly at the altar of big business whims. If they aren't going to provide me as a modern day PC user who chooses to use a superior/alternative OS with the services I require then I take my money elsewhere. Their loss. Luckily so far, I haven't been faced with many of these types of issues that the OP obviously has. But suffice to say, if that was my bank, I'd be off somewhere else thanks. I use the Yorkshire Bank here in Sheffield, and their internet services are very good indeed. No problems with Linux at all.

It's no good just lying down and accepting that some sites require Windows and IE. IE is a mess, and does not feature open standards for all to use. More and more people are switching to Firefox and Opera and other pieces of software, and it's up to the businesses to use their massive profits to catch up with the demands of users and customers.

Recommending Windows 98 is a bloody joke. Which bank is it by the way? You simply have to inform other users of this, so please let us know.

[rolnics]

I'm curious why would using Linux make difference for their website? I mean I understand that the browser can make a difference but what does the operating system have to do with this?

Same here what difference does the OS make?

And as others have said, we have a choice to use what OS we want, its time banks and the like listened to us,they get enough money out of us! I'm with the Halifax, haven't had any problems, other than the site itself being mega slow!

[LaRoza]

I'm curious why would using Linux make difference for their website? I mean I understand that the browser can make a difference but what does the operating system have to do with this?

Windows and IE can talk to each other in dangerous ways. ActiveX and such make for very specific pages sometimes.

[smoker]

close the account, and tell them why!

:-)

[Teber]

I'm curious why would using Linux make difference for their website? I mean I understand that the browser can make a difference but what does the operating system have to do with this?


my reasoning is that it's best to have software running server side so that what the visitor uses won't matter. excluding clients with system and software demands is bad business policy. and webdesigners do not control the visitor's home policy...

[Kernel Sanders]

So if they said "requires Opera 9.1 or higher on Mac OS X 10.2 or higher" you would think it was fine?

Not everyone has access to Windows, it is expensive. Just because it has a big market share, that doesn't mean anything.

I agree entirelly :)

My issue was with the "Bank recommends Win98" headline, which clearly isn't true, it's just the minimum they will support.

If I make a website and say "best viewed with Firefox 1 and above", am I in fact recommending that the users use Firefox 1 rather than 2 or 3 for example? No, it's just the minimum my website will support.

Hope i've made my position clearer :)

[coolglobal]

I'm very worried for the safety of that bank account.

[Spike-X]

Not everyone has access to Windows, it is expensive.

"If you can't afford Windows, we don't want your business!"

[some_random_noob]

close the account, and tell them why!

:-)
Duh :)

It's not like you'd have to go out of your way to do that - they probably ask you why when you terminate your contracty-thing with them. If my bank refused to support Ubuntu, I'd join another bank too!

But FF-3 is new, so how can we expect them to support it right now when most people don't even have it?

[scottro]

I suspect the decision makers are usually technically ignorant. The ones at fault are the web designers, such as Citibank's--one of the few sites to have not fixed this flash bug.

The other thing is that until enough Linux/BSD or whatever users band together, most of them won't care, or will be talked out of changes by their designers who will say, Oh, trust me, it's just one or two people. I'm a web designer, I know what people are using.

I suppose that if a thousand people cancelled their bank accounts or credit cards in a short time, all saying, "It's because of your site," they might begin to take notice.

I did, in my letter to Citibank, suggest that they google for citicards Linux and they would see that several people have blogged about how they cancelled their Citicard because of the website.