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.

Browser Check

"Browser Check" circa 2007

Every couple of years I feel compelled to write a new test suite for detecting browser versions and capabilities. This is something I started in 2006 or so. Part of the suite (actually, most of it) tested for plugins. My old employers used a variety of plugins, including Flash, QuickTime, and even Real Player. Naturally, we had to test for each plugin. To make matters worse, we were using certain other non-standard technologies which rendered some applications incompatible with even modern browsers. Like Firefox. And Safari. Looking at those old tests now gives me the willies. Looks like it's once again time to replace the old with the new.

Browser Check; new and improved