Browser not supported !!!

[satimis]

Hi folks,

Ubuntu 7.04 desktop
Firefox


"Browser NOT support"!!! "Install Internet Explorer"!!!

I encountered this problem several years ago on visiting some websites with "Mozilla" and/or Konqueror". I found a solution suggested by a folk on Internet which can config Mozilla and Konqueror simulating as IE overcoming such a barrier. Now I encountered the same problem again using Firefox visiting some websites. Unfortunately I can't find the said website again.

On googling it suggests to install "ies4linux". It requires "wine". (I don't have it running on this box) Other than that suggestion are there any other solutions. TIA


B.R.
satimis

[saikee]

From my experience sites are specific for MS systems accept only Internet Explorer (IE) because they want to tap into your computer to check the licenses. Public sites do normally restrict exclusively for IE even MSN.

Don't have a solution myself but if it is for a MS system I usually let it run IE and that is only for downloading their security patches. That is only time I use IE myself because it isn't secure and requires constant fixes.

[retsaw]

The solution you are thinking of might be User Agent Switcher (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/59). It's only really a solution when the website would otherwise work with Firefox but checks for Internet Explorer anyway. There are sites that really aren't compatible with Firefox, and this extension won't help with them.

[satimis]

Hi folks,


Tks for your advice,


I already tried "User Agent Switcher". It did not work.


I encountered similar problem several years ago on visiting banks' website only IE allowed. I overcame the difficulty by making either mozila/konqueror/opera (I can't recall exactly) looking like IE.


What shall we do? Go back to Windows?


satimis

[retsaw]

AFAIK, the only way to get one browser to look like another is changing the user agent, which is what User Agent Switcher does. If the website checks the browser's capabilities rather that the user agent, then you can't really get around that. You could try to see if Konqueror or Opera work with that site, but it may be relying on an ActiveX component.

My choice would be to install Wine, then install IE using IEs4Linux, before going to Windows.

[satimis]

AFAIK, the only way to get one browser to look like another is changing the user agent, which is what User Agent Switcher does. If the website checks the browser's capabilities rather that the user agent, then you can't really get around that. You could try to see if Konqueror or Opera work with that site, but it may be relying on an ActiveX component.

I tested on Opera 9.22 after installing it but w/o result. Could you please explain in more detail on "relying on an ActiveX component"? How to check it?


My choice would be to install Wine, then install IE using IEs4Linux, before going to Windows.
Noted with tks.


Edit-1:
Started F-7 and then Konqueror. Visited the site in question. Still failed. The only alternative leaving to me is to install "IEs4Linux" before going back to Windows

Edit-2:
installed ie4linux. IE6 can be started but w/o JVM (Java Virtural Machine). I can't get it installed.

I found the forum of ie4linux. I posted my problem there and am waiting for a reply.

It seems to me that IE6 is slow in response, maybe on this old PIII PC. However Firebox is working great here.


B.R.
satimis

[leonpmu]

Try Netscape, sometimes netscape works where firefox/ opera doesn't...

[satimis]

Hi folks,


I solved my problem with ies4linux.

I installed it by following;
Installation: Ubuntu
http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/page/Installation:Ubuntu

and JVM on;
Mathieu Bonnet's posting on Dec 13, 2006
http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2541#2541

That site I was trying to visit operated by a local Jockey Club for charity, under Government supervision. It is a legal site.

I'm NOT interested to register online betting. Additionally it needs e-certificate on registration which has to be purchased on local Post Office.

Curiosity pushes me to start this thread. Several year ago I encountered the same problem on online banking. It also required M$ IE to work. Finally I made mozilla/konqueror/Opera to work instead. (I can't recall exactly which of them) My bank refused to entertain my request adding mozilla to my a/c as browser on the ground of security.

It seems to me that Bill Gates is trying to push us back to M$ Windows.


Folks, lot of tks for your advice and effort in assisting me.


B.R.
satimis

[Dizzy]

I've had the same problem with my bank, Bell Canada and a few others.....
Solved the problem in Opera. When on the page which gives you grief... click on Tools / Quick Preferences / Edit site preferences / click on Network tab, and at the bottom select Mask as Internet Explorer, then refresh the page or close and open Opera and re-enter that websites page and that should do it.


Dizzy


:)

[satimis]

I've had the same problem with my bank, Bell Canada and a few others.....
Solved the problem in Opera. When on the page which gives you grief... click on Tools / Quick Preferences / Edit site preferences / click on Network tab, and at the bottom select Mask as Internet Explorer, then refresh the page or close and open Opera and re-enter that websites page and that should do it.
Hi Dizzy,


I have Opera recently installed and running here.

Version information
Version 9.22
Build 655
Platform Linux
System i686, 2.6.20-16-generic
Qt library 3.3.7
Java Java Runtime Environment installed

Browser identification
Opera/9.22 (X11; Linux i686; U; en)


The item "Edit site preferences" is grey out, clicking it w/o response. I download and installed the package on Ubuntu website/repo.

Any suggestion? TIA


B.R.
satimis

[camelrider]

In Opera 9.22...

Press f12 -> Edit site preferences -> Network -> Use the dropdown box at the bottom to change browser identification.

Good Luck !

[satimis]

In Opera 9.22...

Press f12 -> Edit site preferences -> Network -> Use the dropdown box at the bottom to change browser identification.

Hi camelrider,


I did it many times.

On Opera
address - about opera

It always indicates Opera disregarding selecting either "identified as IE" OR "Masked as IE".

Secondly "Edit site preferences" sometime appears. Another time grey-out.

I don't know WHY?


B.R.
satimis

[camelrider]

The only other thing I can suggest is to post on opera-users@opera.com and see if the developers can help you.

[satimis]

The only other thing I can suggest is to post on opera-users@opera.com and see if the developers can help you.
Hi camelrider,

I got feed back from a folk on that mailing list
"It always displays;

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; en)

Not as IE."

I see no problem here, that is exactly the the Browser Identification
string of IE 6.0 It has some histroical reason, there was a time when
Netscape (Mozila) 4, was more advanced in terms of features than IE. So

some websites started to check whether they dealing with the advanced
mozilla or the lame ie. After MS added the features those sites still
didn't work. So they decided that they claim themself to be mozilla
compatible.

Unfortunatly nowdays, some sites are useing scripts to identificate
browsers. The scripts are checking features unique to that browser or
works differently in that browser than in others. In this case changing
the browser identification string won't fool the site. Of course user java
scripts can eliminate that checking to.


I'm now asking him about the "user java scripts". Otherwise we have no alternative to visit such websitea, We are compelled going back to MS Windows. Would this be the trick of MS???

[arochester]

I don't know if it's relevant but Konquoror can masquerade as another browser. In Konqueror go Settings>Configure Konqueror> (scroll down to)Browser Identification>(click) New . Then says "When Browsing the following site:" and "Use the following identification:" The pull down menu has various Internet Explorers on various Windows e.g. Interent Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP

[camelrider]

The bank may be using some lame old security protocol that is no longer supported by modern browsers...

[satimis]

The bank may be using some lame old security protocol that is no longer supported by modern browsers...
Hi camelrider,


After investigating the problem a couple days I think I can come up with a conclusion. Those public sites refuse to be visited with browsers other than IE NOT for security reason BUT largely on account of the administrators' experience and knowledge in building webpages.


A webpage displays differently on browsers. To make a webpage to be displayed exactly as they imagine on all browsers is NOT an easy job. So the easiest and straighforward solution is controlling the browser visiting their webpages, ONLY allowing the browser they test their webpage on its building. Unfortunately most people use IE as browser. Therefore they use it for testing and exclude other browsers visiting their webpages. On detecting identification non-IE visitors will be directed to a warning page saying "browser NOT supported. Please use IE....."


I succeeded visiting those public sites with Opera identified as IE. I found some icons/links/etc. disappeared. Because ActiveX is needed. Unfortunately ActiveX does not work on Linux. I ran IE on MS Windows to prove my finding.


The above is my observation. Up-to-now further efforts injected on this respect will be unnecessary, ONLY wasting time. Unless a new technology has been developed.


IEs4Linux can do the job because it runs native IE on it. However it is NOT stable. One day before after upgrading wine the top tool bar on IE disappears. I force-downgraded wine to its previously version but no remedy achieved. Top tool bar is still missing.


B.R.
satimis

[satimis]

Hi camelrider and folks,


I have made "IEs4Linux" revived by reinstalling IE6. Now the top tools-bar reappears. This is exactly the same on all MS Windows software. If it is in problem reinstall the software to override the problematic one. I did this trick years ago when I was living in MS Window World.


Now I have IE6/5.5/5 running on this box "Ubuntu 7.04 desktop". On browsing some public sites ActiveX can't start resulting in some icons with embedded links disappear. I already set the security to minimum level allowing downloading unsigned ActiveX. I suspect whether I need MS VM (Virtural Machine).

I'm trying to figure out how to check its existence? How to install it if not yet installed?

On;
Tools -> Preference -> Advanced -> Internet Options
I can't find Java/JavaScript there.

I don't know whether it matters ?


If we don't want going back to MS Windows on Internet browsing we must find a solution.


B.R.
satimis