VerizonWireless.com also hates baby linux (updated)

I'm not going to live my life trying to persuade website owners to let me in. This will be my last I expect. Still I don't understand how they can get away with this. They can't keep me out of a night club if I'm black. They can't fire me if I work at Ford and drive a Chevy. In addition, the people at ford can't make me drive a ford if I don't want to. I might not get a cherry parking spot but I'm still allowed to park my chevy there, right?

So I asked:

Question about the verizonwireless.com website. Why am I no longer able to log into my account since I switched from windows to linux? I'm using the exact same browser. I'm able to log in and use all features if I spoof my user agent so your program thinks I'm using ie7 on windows vista. This tells me you are specifically blocking non-ms operating systems. Can you provide rationale?

==Update==
And they replied...

On Mon Oct 15 9:52 , Verizon Wireless My Account Online sent:

Dear John,

Thank you for contacting Verizon Wireless through our website. I apologize for the delay in responding to your inquiry.

When using Internet Explorer 7.0, we suggest making the following adjustments to your browser for optimal website functionality.

You can access the tool bar for Internet Explorer 7.0 by hitting the Alt key on your keyboard.

. From the tool bar, select Tools from either the top or right menu bar. From the drop down menu select Internet Options.

. You will see in the middle of the box that displays, under Browsing History, a button labeled Delete. Select the delete button.

. You may select the Delete All button; however, if you wish to keep your stored passwords or form data, you would click on Delete Files, Delete Cookies, and Delete History, separately. Click "Yes" when asked if you are sure you want to delete all Internet Explorer browsing history.

. You will then select the Privacy tab, and from this page click on the Advanced button.

. On the next page, you will need to place a check mark in the "Override automatic cookie handling" box. Select Accept for first and third party cookies, and place a check mark in the box for "Always allow session cookies". Please click OK.

. You will now need to click on the Advanced tab in the upper right hand corner. On this page, scroll down to "Show friendly http error messages" and put a check in that box. Now please click on Apply, and OK.

By overriding automatic cookie handling, you should have full use of your online account.

If you require additional information regarding My Account, you may contact E-Services and Support by replying directly to this email. You may also contact us by dialing 1-800-350-2830 and selecting option 1 when prompted. Representatives will be available to assist you Monday through Friday, 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday, 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Pacific Time.

John, we appreciate your business and thank you for using Verizon Wireless products and services.

Sincerely,

Christopher
Verizon Wireless
E-Services and Support

To which I replied:

It seems I wasn't clear with my problem.

My problem is not internet explorer and has nothing to do with internet explorer.

Here is the problem, restated:

I have been a customer for several years and up until recently I have used a windows based computer to access my information online. I have had no trouble with this and I use Mozilla Firefox exclusively.

Recently I switched my home computer to linux. I still use firefox, the same program I use to access the web on windows.

I am unable to log in to verizonwireless.com on the linux platform but am able to access it on a windows machine using the same browser.

My current workaround is to do something called "user agent spoofing" which is where I tell my browser to tell your web server that I'm using a different browser and or operating system. While this does work it is inconvenient and I feel, unnecessary. When I tell your webserver I am using Windows/ie7 it works fine for me. Therefore it isn't a problem on my end, I have all plugins and abilities to use the website.

I was hoping, with my original question, to find out if there is some rationale to this. I would still like to know if I could be privvy to that information.

Blue cross blue shield of tn and baby linux (updated)

(updates are always at the bottom)

As you know, if you've been following along, I switched to linux at home. It's gone swimmingly. Really enjoying it. I decided to start looking at what I need to do to do the same at work.

One issue I have is in my current position, as well as in my last several jobs, I am the insurance administrator. So I'm the guy that you tell when you add a dependant, change coverage, whatever. Then I go online, fill out the appropriate form, and boom, you're covered or not covered. Currently we are using Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee ( http://www.bcbst.com )

Below is what you see if you access the employer's site (the part I use almost exclusively ) using firefox 2.0.0.7 using windows xp:

page ( https://ehealthservices.bcbst.com/common/brownotcompat.asp )

Incompatible Browser Type or Version

Your browser type or version is not currently supported by this application.

If you wish to gain access, please download a free supported browser from the following link.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

While that link up there is javascript and I'm not ganking their broken code, trust me when I tell you it goes to the wrong place. You might as well go to http://www.microsoft.com/givemeanerror to get the same page.

I started this fight a while ago. I asked them why I had to use ie only to access their pages. The tech support guy knew nothing of the details of it. I dropped it and used ie when I had to access the site.

Today I had an insurance related question (how do I terminate coverage and start elective state continuation coverage --which turned out to not be a seamless thing -- I have to terminate the employee's coverage and then completely reenroll them...) so I called them. After I got my most bizarre response I asked again about the ie issue. I told them I am going to switch to linux and he said I wouldn't be able to access the site at all.

Sorry, no dice.

We discussed this for quite some time, even with me bringing up the fact that we have the ability to look elsewhere for coverage. It's a corporation, he didn't care. He said almost as much. All he could tell me was his name was Chris. I'm sure he's the only Chris there. Good thing too because accountability in such a position is pretty important.

I finally asked to speak with his supervisor. I was put on hold.

I did not get to speak with his supervisor, she told him what to say. It didn't please me. It was the same thing he said.

I asked him who I need to talk to for resolution of this issue or at the very least a technical answer. He knew of two people. One was the head of web development is I believe what he said. He rang him. voicemail. He rang the other. Voicemail. He offered to take my information and have one of them call me back. I gave him the info and thanked him for his time. On a side note I did not and do not hope to give him a hard time. I just wanted to find out the answer.

Later, that same day...

I received a call from someone. He didn't properly identify himself when I answered the phone and he never took me off speakerphone. Have I ever mentioned how rude that is?

I answered the phone, "This is John"
He said something like, "This is [beats me, couldn't hear him]."
I knew who it was but I said, "How can I help you?"
He mumbled and finally said "Blue Cross Blue Shield"
I said, "Oh, the IE only people, right." then I explained that I was wanting to switch over to linux and wondered how I'd get my job done.

I'm just going to give the high points.

nope, there were none. Better start with the low points.

According to him they farm all their programming out and it costs them less (and yes, he even said "To keep our heath insurance costs down" I shit you not. ) and he mentioned that if they supported all the browsers it would cost more. he said that if supporting one browser cost X then two would be 2X and three would be 3X.

Now in addition to my duties as insurance administrator I'm a programmer. And I mostly program web pages. And I know that the only way that logic works is if you start with fucked up design.

He wasn't even aware that the web site didn't work with firefox. He thought Safari (mac) was the only major browser not supported (and he stated that it would never ever be supported), but he said that most of his users used ie on windows so they support that one mainly but they do also support netscape. I asked why on the error page it only pointed to Microsoft's ie. He didn't know of the error page in question so I brought it up and read it to him. Clicked the link and lauged. "Your link to ie is broken as well. You might want to look into that."

I think he was aggravated at this point and wanted to end the call and call me back after he "gathered more information." I said that would be fine.

So the problem is I won't be able to access the web page using IE if I switch my work machine to linux.

The solution is I try netscape and if that works, cool.
The problem is I can't get netscape to run on linux at home. To further complicate this subproblem is while trying to figure out how to get it to run it seems (only by heresay) netscape tells web servers it is firefox, not netscape.

So what to do what to do? Well I installed a user-agent spoofer in firefox and as long as I tell it I'm running netscape 4 the site works. This fixes _my_ problem but not _the_ problem.

See, there's more to it.

We also do medical billing. And sometimes that is through blue cross blue shield of tennessee. And guess what? IE only. So what do we do there, just not bill bcbs of tn when they owe us money? Well, no, that's not a workable option. Do I teach everyone how to spoof their user agent? Isn't that a bit rediculous to have to do?

No, just code the site properly and quit with the "pay to play" game of forcing Microsoft down everyone's throats. People think linux users are overzealous. Where do linux programmers force anyone to use anything? I've yet to see it.

In other news, I have cancelled all of my own personal insurance through BCBS of TN and will never go back until they get their heads out of their asses.

---

==Update==
Trevor called me today and informed me that they are working on Firefox compatibility and should be done by the end of the month. He noted they would call me back and let me know about the progress.

So I take it back, Blue Cross Blue Shield of TN isn't the devil. They are working to correct the issue but the first lines of support indicated otherwise.

So I say hats off to BCBS of TN, and a great big thanks for going the extra mile to support open source software and its users!

Ebay suggestion

Ebay should incorporate some sort of discussion forum for each item listed. I get tired of keeping gem-like comments to myself.

You know, things like:

• If, by "rare", you mean NOT rare, then yes: You are correct.
• Hello, 1998 called. They want their page layout back.
• Check your photo, nice reflection. Wear pants next time.
• Yes, sex sells, but get your nasty assed hobag wife out of the shot. What's her wide load ass covering, a rust patch the size of a barn?
• How come you call yourself "ebooks on cd" when it's a download only purchase? Where's my cd?
• You realize those are cheaper brand new at wal~mart, right? Well now everyone else does too.
• Your item is only worth your starting price to someone willing to pay that much and guess what? Nobody is. Quit relisting it or lower the asking price.
• "Collectible?" It's avon. And it's old. Good luck with that.
• Yeah, there's a market for "Goth" items. It's called people with no money.
• Boner bobs? To roast your hot dogs on? Well, yeah, that would sell. But I'm glad you're dealing with that type of customer and not me.
• It seems as though your "Win the lottery system" is not working. Otherwise, why would you be selling it instead of winning the lottery and leaving work behind?
• "LQQK" isn't a word. I promise.
• "BECOME INVISIBLE & walk unseen among people or CROWDS" ... uhhh, people that stupid usually don't have money. I can see you don't have any either. Perhaps there's a correlation?
• It turns out your font is unacceptably large. It will be revoked by the manufacturer. Please advise.
• Are you able to guarantee that your case of extra large adult sized diapers with faux-fur lining are in fact unused?
• Would you be able to plausibly explain that stain in the sex seat? It says it is new but certainly that can't be....
• No, her ass is STILL not helping you sell anything. NEXT!
• I only understand you in so much as you want to sell somthing. Would it be possible for you to narrow it down and tell us what that is?
• You state that the Jeep Wrangler, '05, LIKE NEW ALL ORIGINAL has a factory v-6. uhhh, you know they didn't have a V6 so I'm wondering what part of the prototype department you were in.
• Hi, I was just thinking that maybe you should recategorize this item. While it might be "Slightly Unusual" and does in fact fit in that category, I was thinking a better primary category would be "SHIT NOBODY BUT DUMBASSES BUY"

This post has no title

I think I neglected to mention that I have switched to a linux operating system at home. Well I have. And since you asked nicely and you raised your eyebrows when you did it I'll tell you why. I used Microsoft Vista. I think there might have been one or two details I've left out in the past few posts so let's play catch up one line at a time. I am no longer in the construction industry. I took a position as a computer programmer which I have done off and on for many years now. It's kind of my fall back career. If the money was as good in programming as it is in construction then it would be my primary career. I enjoy it and for the most part I'm pretty decent at it. But calls were coming in about this or that application that we partially support not working with Vista. I finally bought a computer to set on my desk and have the ability to actually see and use this problem child first hand. It has been a nightmare. Every day I use it I encounter a problem without an error message. I'm not trying to be witty, I really get many errors that have no error messages. Things just fail to work. I spent more than two weeks with one company, we'll call them Steam/Valve (you may have heard me touch on this topic but fret not, I'm not going to bring them up any more than that,) trying to diagnose why I was unable to install their product which clearly worked on other installations of Microsoft Vista. I have created directories to have Vista completely lock up on me. It would seem that Vista hates me. And I'm ok with that. Because the feeling is mutual.

I absolutely LOATHE microsoft vista.

I decided I didn't like the way things in the windows world were going so I was getting out of the game. I was going to make the break and switch over to linux. I'm not the best with linux but I have been using it (well, actually not linux, but other unix-based systems that are very similar) for servers for several years. I made the switch. Goodbye moneysuck microsoft. No more $250 operating systems every 3 years or so for me. I was going with one that's free like beer and free like thought. On a sidenote I did not receive any free beer when I installed. I'm hoping I at least get a coupon.

So that's why I made the switch. I recommend you, yes you, the one reading this, at least consider it. You know they let you download it, burn it to a cd, and run it without even changing your windows hard drive. It's something of a test drive and I'm really shocked Microsoft hasn't done this yet. HA! Perhaps in a later post I'll give directions on how to do this. I think everyone should at least put their eyes on it and see if it would suit their needs. You'll say, "Oh, I can't switch to linux because I have to have Powerpoint. Guess what? They have a free replacement. You'll say, I can't switch to linux because I need all of my files in My Documents. I'll say I didn't lose a single file. You'll say you don't have the time to learn it. I'll tell you there isn't much to learn unless you want to customize it in some nonstandard way. Add / Remove programs is there and guess what? It reads the files from the internet and you can install more stuff than Bonzai Buddy used to install. The difference is the stuff in there is free. No strings attached. Use it if you like it. But I'm not going to try to convert you. I'm no salesman.

It isn't a bed of roses though. I do find deficiencies that sometimes make me wish I had the functionality I had with windows. I enjoy, among other things, games. Linux has lots of games and some of them are downright addictive. Some are fresh ideas and others are remakes of other, well known games. But all the games in the world won't make you not want to play games you love. My favorite game of the past decade has been a capture the flag type of game. Only you're armed to the hilt and ready to blow the other guys away. It's a lot more fun than my description might let on. I've read that it will work in linux but I have reservations about running it on linux. See, it's a game where if you are caught cheating you lose your account. Losing your account basically means you lose your game. The linux users that do play this game do so through a program called a Windows emulator. They trick the game itself into thinking that it is running on a windows computer. The thing about this game is that they update not only the game regularly to combat the cheaters but also to introduce new bugs bugfixes. As a general rule their program has the ability to scan your computer while you play to ensure you aren't cheating. I'm ok with that. I think the benefit of knowing you can play without cheaters is worth the potential security risks involved. But I also understand how complex programs can be. While the Windows Emulator might be able to fool the game to run it might not be able to tell the anti-hacking engine that some process that is currently running is not a hack, it's simply this or that. There are no users that I know of that are having problems with this but I'm unable to say it couldn't become a problem in the future. And I'm not willing to risk losing my account for that.

So what to do what to do?

On the occasion when I can't stand the desire to play even a moment longer I plug in my old windows hard drive and play until I get my fill directly from windows. Alas that hard drive is failing and I don't currently have one to fill its place. So I start looking for similar games that will run natively in linux. I found one that is a capture the flag with guns and I gave it a stab. It is enjoyable but just not the same so I started looking for others. It is shocking to find how few commercial games are available for linux.

Hi, my name is John and I use linux. This does not mean I stopped being a consumer. Yes, many of the programs for linux are open source and free.

But I'm not against paying for software. It seems to me that developers either forget this or overlook it. Just because changed operating systems does not mean I do not wish to use supported, commercial applications. I like to take home videos and then compile them into dvd's to give to family and friends. Thus far I've yet to figure this out with linux. I found a guide on how it can be done but there is no easy, ready made off the shelf version that I can find. When I log into web sites where I have purchased content, such as my audio books at audible.com, I am unable to even access the data I have rights to.

So yes, it's a hard row to hoe for the moment, but its getting better every day. Even a day when I don't touch a computer it gets better. You might wonder how it gets better. Well it was one more day without the conglomerate that owns the near monopoly on operating systems. Perhaps some of these vendors will come to realize that we are out here. Maybe they won't. It seems people are still ignoring the Mac platform.

Time will tell, time will tell.

Would I change my decision if I had it to do over again? No.