That's a bit harsh. Please check the etiquette page to see the norms
for the site. This is not a rough and tumble linux-user group mailing
list. We have lots of people with lots of different backgrounds,
things really . . . civil ;-)
> My turn.
>
> On Thursday 04 May 2006 8:46 am, Grignon, Alain wrote:
> > Richard,
> >
> > I may be way off base here, and please step in if I am but I believe the
> > Linux debate/browser compatibility doesn't fall within the scope of
> > CivicAccess. At least as I understand it.
>
> You are way off base here. What makes you think the browser debate doesn't
> include open standards on the internet? Word processors and website code are
> both simply bits of instructions. When I as a citizen want to fully
> participate in government and gathering or submitting data who cares if I am
> denied by code on the net or code residing on my computer? The point is I'm
> being denied access, period. It's my RIGHT as a citizen of this country to
> expect equal access. Read more information on the history of the internet,
> TCP/IP, HTTP, the battle fought and won back then are at risk by laisse faire
> people who let corporations control our access to information.
>
> > That doesn't
> > necessarily mean it has to be accessible to all browser types/Oses. Anyone
> > try using BeOS? Unix? Somewhere a line must be drawn in order to allow
> > government web services to evolve. Being a public servant myself, I graple
> > with these issues daily. There is a balance to be truck between making
> > things accessible and keeping inline with current technologies.
> >
>
> I'm sorry but this paragraph is woefully ignorant. If a browser can an
> operating system that is compliant with http 4.1 transitional, and has a
> TCP/IP stack it's nobody's business if I made my own operating system from
> scratch. You're missing the entire point of standards, it's to ensure
> compatability not to be an impediment to technological evolution. The
> alternative is going back to using Archie (the University of Minnesota own
> this software and has threatened to extract royalty fees from every user), or
> Compuserve, or regressing back to unix days when many protocols were created
> by each university. In fact this is where TCP/IP came from it's an
> amalgamation of 32 different protocols. Previous to this you had to be a
> hacker and know byte endianness, and script wrappers between
> terminal "standards". This debate is entirely appropraite to open document
> formats and access to information. For clarity (and in case you're using BeOS
> or Unix, those great unknowns apparently) here is the mission from
> CivicAccess's website.
>
> Citizens for Open Access to Civic Information and Data (CivicAccess) is a
> group of citizens which believes all levels of government should make civic
> information and data accessible at no cost in open formats to their citizens.
> We believe this is necessary to allow citizens to fully participate in the
> democractic process of an "information society."
> Objectives:
> To encourage all levels of governments (county, municipal, provincial,
> federal) to make civic data and information available to citizens without
> restrictions, at no cost, and in useable open formats.
> To encourage the development of citizen projects using civic data and
> information
> Making civic data and information freely available to citizens is important
> because:
> Citizen participation in decision-making is fundamental to democracy
> Good decisions are made by informed citizens
> Quality civic data and information are fundamental to keeping citizens
> informed in an "information society"
> Taxes have already paid for civic data and information; therefore these
> should be made available at no cost to citizens
> Citizen projects using civic data will generate innovative solutions to
> social, economic and environmental problems
> Citizen projects using civic data will allow citizens to creatively plan
> their communities
> This is what a democracy looks like!
>
> Jason
>
>
> > Just my thoughts.
> >
> >
> > Alain Grignon
> > Landslide GIS Specialist / Spécialiste SIG en glissements de terrains
> > Geological Survey of Canada / Commission géologique du Canada
> > 601 Booth st. / 601 rue Booth
> > Ottawa, Ont.
> > Tel: (613) 947-8773
> >
http://landslides.nrcan.gc.ca/> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:
[hidden email]
> > [mailto:
[hidden email]] Sent: May 3, 2006 10:57
> > PM
> > To:
[hidden email]
> > Subject: [CivicAccess-discuss] Canada Census on line
> >
> > Hey all,
> >
> > Not sure if this falls into civicaccess's mandate but I figured I would
> > pass it on.
> >
> > Today I tried to fill out my census info on-line (www.census2006.ca).
> > When I tried to get started I got this
> >
> > "Your browser does not meet the minimum requirements to access this site
> >
> > The current version of browser you are using is not supported by this site.
> >
> > To download a supported version of browser, please refer to: To download
> > the required software. If you do not wish to download a new browser, you
> > can complete your paper questionnaire and return it by mail in the envelope
> > provided."
> >
> > So I called the help desk. I asked them why I get this messages and that I
> > met all the requirements with one small exception. I was on Linux. I was
> > told that Linux was not supported and I would have to use Windows or Mac to
> > access the site. I asked him why this was and the help desk guy told me
> > that as Linux was not all that popular so it was not supported and would
> > not likely be supported anytime soon. I took some time to try and educate
> > this gentleman about how the Internet should not have a specific operating
> > system requirement but I don't think he was really listening or cared.
> >
> > Is there any one I can contact on this in the government or is there a
> > anything the group can do to bring open standers argument to Census
> > Canada's website? As this is census update time I am sure that there are
> > other Linux users out there that are having issues. I am not pushing a
> > Linux agenda here but I am pushing for open standards for the government of
> > Canada's website.
> >
> > I know the group is just starting to get going but is this maybe a good
> > starting point for some action?
> >
> > If not any help in pointing me in the direction of someone I can contact to
> > complain would be much appreciated.
> >
> > +------------------------------------+
> > Best regards,
> > -Richard Houston
> > -R.L.H. Consulting
> > -E-Mail
[hidden email]
> > -WWW
http://www.rlhc.net> > -Blog
http://www.rlhc.net/blog/> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> >
[hidden email]
> >
http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> >
[hidden email]
> >
http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca>
> --
> Software shouldn't be your struggle
>
> _______________________________________________
> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
>
[hidden email]
>
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