Recently I have been shopping for printable checks so I can print checks from Quickbooks. I shop at Staples for a lot of my office supplies, it is a quick drive from my house, and usually has good prices, and an easy to use Web site. I was sorely disappointed today when I encountered the following message on their Web site when entering their custom office promotional products:
> The web browser you are using is incompatible
>
>
>
> We are sorry for the inconvenience. Our site currently supports only Internet Explorer version
> 4.0 and 5.0. This is due to the advanced features used in the real-time designer.
>
> We are working to support Netscape in the very near future. If you do not have Internet
> Explorer, it may be downloaded for free at Microsoft’s website here.
>
> If you are currently using Internet Explorer version 4.0 or 5.0 and are reading this message,
> there may have been an error. Please inform the webmaster.
I was using Firefox 1.5.
They want me to “upgrade” to Internet Explorer 5.0 because of “advanced features”.
I wonder what programmer was able to sell their manager on this one. Unacceptable.
It was very frustrating. I wanted to order from them, but I couldn’t. I went with a different vendor. I wonder how many million potential customers they are locking out?
*Update*
I sent the following E-mail to their Webmaster:
> Greetings,
>
> I was attempting to use your Web site at the following address.
>
> http://www.staples.marktheworld.com/
>
> I was trying to browse into your “computer checks” section and got a “browser not compatible”
> message telling me to “upgrade” to IE 4.0 or 5.0 due to “advanced features”
>
> IE 5.0 would be a distinct DOWNGRADE from my current browser (firefox 1.5).
>
> “Advanced features” that don’t work in one of the most advanced browsers out there are not
> “advanced” at all. It speaks to me of shortsighted programming.
They sent the following response, very shortly after I mailed them:
> MarktheWorld.com apologizes for any inconvenience. We hope to have the website accessible
> to other browser options in the future. It is not our intention to stop other browser users from
> accessing the site. Please contact Staples Direct at 1-800-547-7224 ext. 35688 to try to place
> your order.
>
> Sincerely,
> Staplesservice@MarktheWorld.com
> 877-419-1721
> www.staples.marktheworld.com
“It is not our intention to stop other browser users from accessing the site”
Then what exactly IS your intention? Locking out users of all but one browser… that is not unintentional! Your intention in programming this app was to only let IE users access it.
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