Linux and e-banking

[minthaka]

I've opened an online account in my bank, just to have an opinion to check whether my salary arrived, an guess what happened:
I went to the bank's homepage opened the login page and have been refused, cos I don't use Internet Explorer (I'm not an idiot to do so), I don't have MSDOM, and ActiveX.
After that I've addressed an e-mail, and asked the maintainer to change the way they're handling my data, because I cannot rely on a bank using Windows solely as software platform for my account. If they refuse to do so, I'll change my bank. Presently it's Banca Intesa, just to know what to avoid!

[Jonathan183]

When I first started using Internet banking I had a similar problem ... the bank changed and now I can use firefox. At the time I could use Konqueror and fool the site into thinking I was using IE by setting the browser ID

[techieMoe]

I use Wells Fargo just fine in Firefox. Same for my credit union. There's just no excuse these days to be IE-only, in my opinion.

[carlosponti]

if they use active x controls fooling it into thinking your browser wont do any good. and i doubt they will change it for you unless their website will work on Firefox they just have it setup to look at browser. thats an easy fix. i agree with Maurice that there is no reason why they should be IE concentric.

[elija]

Bill gates has his account there. Would you like to be the one to say

"Hey boss, we have got the site working with non ms browsers but
Bill gates has closed his savings account"

Other than that I can think of no reason

[cousinlucky]

In my humble opinion; you should have changed your bank as soon as they notified you of thier IE policy.

[minthaka]

I've received an answer from Banca Intesa. They told me that 95% of the customers are using Windows, and that previously there were possibilities for using other browsers than Internet Explorer, but according to some standards they had to change their approach. The best part is, that they are trying to convince me that IE isn't the worst choice, and that there are bad voices about it only because it's most widely used browser. I'll try to make them understand, that it isn't a good idea to bind yourself to a corrupted company, without business ethic, and supporting them exclusively, means accepting the Microsoft's policy which was already sentenced by European Community.

[ryokimball]

You know, I'm glad you mentioned this, Minthaka. I had never gotten around to setting up the online account with my bank, and your mentions got me finally around to doing something about it. Sure enough, Firefox is actually supported, but my OS is not --neither Vista nor any Linuxes (what's the plural of that, btw?) I have. Apparently, they only support Windows XP or 2000, or OSX. I'm going to play around some, but if I don't get anywhere I will follow your example.
...The scary part, though, is that if this doesn't work, I might have to go to the same bank my father uses. Which isn't nearly as bad, but... well, I don't like to let him win. And that would be a win for him.

[Roxoff]

Whenever I have similar problems with websites, I request from them the price of a new MS operating system, any new MS office tools needed, a new hard drive to run it on, and anything else that takes my fancy. A request for several hundred pounds to allow me to use a service I'm entitled to use usually provokes a response.

I've used this approach formally (i.e. in writing) twice now, but I've not had a cheque sent to me yet.

Do a Google around, the figures I last saw for Internet use don't tally with what your bank say - over 30% of web users are on Firefox, a figure that is rising. On top of that, when I last looked Firefox was the most popular internet browser in use (ok, so it was while i.e.7 was being rolled out and adopted, i.e.6 and 7 had about 25-30% each). I used these figures to try and browbeat my football club's web site providers who use DRM for their video services, and in doing so deny access to 1/3rd of the clubs supporters.

[bigtomrodney]

Actually if you are going to approach them there is a better way to do it. Running in screaming 'corrupt company' doesn't do much except prove that you are interested in the politics of the situation rather than the practicalities.

If you want a rational response you need to approach them with something to benefit them.

Firefox Market Share greater than 20% in Europe (and as high as 45.4%)

When you talk to them just point out that there is no reason that an application should only support one browser, that there are standards in place to ensure all browsers will work. The problem is that some of the broken aspects of Internet Explorer and the unsafe use of ActiveX is causing it to appear otherwise. An application written to web standards should function on any browser.

Also point out that the online banking for other banks work happily on all browsers. For example Bank Of Ireland just received an award for Best Online Banking Service in Ireland and it fully supports all browsers. Also you may want to point out that Other browsers such as lynx are used by the visually impaired and that this is not supported either under current policy...