[RndTbl] Census now available to Linux users

[John Lange]

On Tue, 2006-05-16 at 13:54 -0500, Gilbert E. Detillieux wrote:
> According to John Lange:
> > For those of you not also subscribed to the PLUG mailing list, Syd
> > Weidman points out that the census web site is now open to Linux:
> > 
> > http://www12.statcan.ca/IRC/english/advisory_e.htm
> 
> The advisory is rather brief, and doesn't explain things all that clearly.
> It's not obvious, for example, whether they've simply made an exception to
> allow the Linux OS specifically, or whether they've stopped checking for
> particular OS'es altogether.  If it's not the latter, then they've missed
> the point, IMHO.

It is far from clear but the wording seems to hint that the reason they
restricted the site to specific OSes was because of a lack of tech
support people familiar with anything but Windows.

> This shouldn't be about recognizing Linux as another alternative OS, but
> rather about supporting open standards.

I completely agree.

>   It shouldn't matter at all what
> OS is being used, as long as the browser itself is W3C compliant, has
> sufficient encryption technology in it, and has a supported JVM.

Interesting you should mention the JVM. The "Linux Users" were satisfied
with the change, the "Free Software" advocates are still complaining
because you are required to use a proprietary JVM.

-- 
John Lange