Sorry Indeed

This morning, I was alerted to a major retailer's print-at-home coupons. As a general rule I don't use coupons because I can never remember to take them with me when I go to the store. Also, finding coupons online, then printing them out at home to take to the store with you later just seems rather crude and primitive. However, sometimes I'm something of a compulsive clicker, and what can I say? I saw the link, and I went for it. I don't know whether I'm more disappointed as a Linux user or as a person who knows a thing or two about Web development.

First, I was able to bypass the "We're sorry" message with Chrome by spoofing the user agent string for Safari 4 on OS X. That strikes me as shoddy programming, but what on Earth is the "Coupon Print Activator"? Well, apparently, the Coupon Print Activator is a Java applet specifically designed to make downloading and printing coupons more difficult than it has to be. A Java applet. To print images from a site that anyone (with the right browser) can access.

Still, I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. Target's internal systems are still using software based on some combination of Windows XP/2000 and IE 6.