[Discuss] UVic's new portal now available to students, unless they use Firefox

[stephen hawkes]

Slightly off topic, but what is with UVIc and explicitly NOT supporting 
linux. I went to the computer store because I needed a wireless card and 
asked if they knew what chipset it ran (they didn't). Of course they ask 
why the hell I would need to know, and I said, "Various reasons, but 
running linux is the primary one."

The response: "We don't support linux."

I nearly went off.  I don't care, I don't need support, that's why I am 
checking what chipset that card is (the particular card could have 1 of 
two chipsets).

Any of the helpdesks are the same if I complain about connectivity, 
email or anything else.. when in all reality the issues I was having 
have nothing to do with what OS I run.


On a possitive note there were some rumors of uvic starting a linux repo 
or mirror (I don't want to say what prof said that since it was second 
hand to me, but my friend said he was quite excited about the 
"possibility" or something along those lines).  That would be the right 
step in UViv (or CSC at least) having an "official" distro that would be 
supported on campus.

Chris Kloosterman wrote:
> Back on the 9th of February (when uSource was in limited testing), I 
> got this response from one of the developers:
>
> "Yes, Firefox is not supported. I understand that it and many other
> browsers use the same rendering engine, however, our vender has only
> certified their product on certain browsers so we cannot promise that
> everything within the Portal will work in Firefox.
>
> Now that I have said that, I personally use Firefox, and I have not run
> across an issue that I can think of. So while Firefox is unsupported,
> you can use it, and everything will probably be fine. Help desk will not
> be able to support you though."
>
> I've also asked them to add an Informed channel 
> (http://informed.uvic.ca), but they're having implementation problems 
> due to the RSS feed only being provided through https, which the 
> portal doesn't support.
>
> Chris
>
> Quoting Adam Parkin <pzelnip at telus.net>:
>
>> So UVic has launched a new online portal service for students, the
>> e-mail I received outlining the servies is given below.  BUT, Firefox
>> is not one of the supported browsers, and upon going to the main
>> USource page (https://usource.uvic.ca)  you are greeted with a nice
>> "Unsupported browser" blurb.  So far as I can tell you can browse the
>> site fine with FF, but it does seem odd to me that the fastest growing,
>> arguably most secure, and most popular browser amongst the students I
>> know is unsupported.
>>
>> Why is the University so anti-OSS?  OpenOffice isn't installed in any
>> of the Windows labs on campus (the only lab I know of with OO is the
>> Linux lab in ELWB215, and even then it's a very old version of OO),
>> Firefox is installed in the Windows labs, but it's an older version
>> (pre 1.5) and even then students in early CSC courses (100 et al) are
>> strongly encouraged to use IE over FF.  And that lone Linux lab runs a
>> bizarre Linux distro that seems very quirky and unreliable (I've had
>> those machines lock up on me much more often than the Windows 2000
>> machines across the hall).
>>
>> Sorry for the mini-rant, just in a complaining kinda mood today I
>> suppose.... =8-p
>>
>> --Adam Parkin
>> E-mail: pzelnip at telus.net
>> --------------------------
>> Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.     --
>> Friedrich Nietzsche
>>
>>
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject:     USource: UVic's new portal now available to students.
>> Date:     Fri, 05 May 2006 09:28:31 -0700 PDT
>> From:     uSource UVic <donotreply at uvic.ca>
>>
>>
>>
>>     Use uSource and you could win an iPod!
>>
>> USource is UVic's new online portal. Check your individual UVic records
>> and personalize your online space in one convenient place.
>>
>> Important stuff:
>>
>>     * Register online for classes
>>
>>     * See a snapshot of your student records
>>
>>     * Manage tuition fees
>>
>>     * Get reminders of important academic dates
>>
>>     * Check your library account
>>
>>
>> Fun stuff:
>>
>>     * Watch for cool campus events
>>
>>     * Set up your personal online calendar
>>
>>     * Personalize RSS feeds from your favourite websites
>>
>>     * Customize what you want to see and where you want to see it
>>
>>     * Submit a feature photo
>>
>>     *Try to win an i-pod! Log in and follow the link in
>>       "Campus Announcements" to the online scavenger hunt.
>>       Fill it out by May 30, 2006 and you could win.
>>
>>
>>
>> Log into uSource now! Go to: https://usource.uvic.ca.
>>
>> **
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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