gov't sponsored site requires proprietary software

[Terrence Enger]

My thanks to Abidel, James, and Walter for your comments.  More
of my thoughts in-line.

On Sat, 2009-10-24 at 12:50 -0700, Abidel Bassie-Cripps wrote:
> Interesting!
> 
> I use Ubuntu 9.04 and went to that link. I had no issue browsing it
and tested the download. I got as far as inputting my library card
number (of which I don't have).

I actually got as far as checking out an audio book.  It was
available for loan, it was in mp3 format, and I have an mp3
player.  What can go wrong?

Only when I tried to do the download--this is my own fault, I
could have checked system requirements right at the start--did I
find that the download required a proprietary executable
<http://www.overdrive.com/partners/redirects.asp?product=omc> to
interpret a presumably prietary version of WMA
<http://downloadcentre.library.on.ca/76433098-3CF5-4252-B522-4470C58E896B/10/496/en/Help-FAQ-Format25.htm#question-35>

> I went to your other link and browsed it fine, but couldn't fine a
link to downloads.

Sorry, my comment there was just a general expression of
frustration and bad temper.  I was not looking for downloads.

> 
> I would check your version of flash first. I had previous installed
flasyplugin-nonfree and my access to websites improved.

Nothing to check.  I do not have any version installed.

Cheers,
Terry.

> 
> Kind regards!
> Abi
> 
> 
> From: Terrence Enger <tenger-P1ovA8G34VBEfu+5ix1nRw at public.gmane.org>
> To: tlug-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org
> Sent: Sat, October 24, 2009 9:37:17 AM
> Subject: [TLUG]: gov't sponsored site requires proprietary software
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> The Ontario Ministry of Culture is sponsoring Ontario Library
> Service Download Centre <http://downloadcentre.library.on.ca/>,
> which lends out any of a collection of audio books over the net.
> 
> Disappointingly, the service works only only with Windows or Mac.
> It is perhaps no coincidence that the "guided tour" requires
> Adobe Flash, and they use the word "free" only in the
> sense "gratis".
> 
> <aside>
>   Hmm.  Going to the Ministry of Culture home page
>   <http://www.culture.gov.on.ca/english/index.html>, the first
>   thing I see is a message box telling me "Content on this page
>   requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player. Do you want to
>   download it now?".  Somewhat peeved now, I take that url to
>   validator.w3.org and find--really, I should not have been
>   surprised--203 Errors, 62 warning(s).
> </aside>
> 
> Time for a letter to your MPP, do you think?
> 
> Cheers,
> Terry.


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