This is a list of Linux "unfriendly" Indian vendors, ISPs and websites. They force consumers to use proprietary software or technologies, or otherwise perpetuate vendor lock-in, which makes it diffult for Linux users to access their products or services.

Policy

We consider any of the following two kind of offences, as a condition for being included in the Hall Of Shame list.

1. When the website puts up an explicit notice that the site will look-good/work only with a specific proprietary web browser like Internet Explorer. These will be put up on the list right away without notice, because these notices are tantamount to policy decisions. In some cases, even the choice of technology used will be taken as a policy decision. e.g. using VBScript in the website.
2. When due to obvious programming incompetency, or mere laziness to test the site against non-proprietary browsers, cause a problem of accessibility of the website. In these cases, we will send the party a notice using their publicised official feedback channels and wait for a period of seven days for either an explanatory mail, or the correction of the issue. Failing any of these, we will add the company to the list.

We will especially be targetting government websites in this exercise which have absolutely no business to discriminate against the technology used by their citizens to access public content. If possible, please report such websites to us.

Exceptions

There are some important exceptions to our campaign.

1. We respect the right of a webmaster to restrict browsers on the basis of version (NOT vendor). e.g. Having a website which only allows version 5+ or version 6+ of Netscape/IE browsers. We know that this is often a technical decision, somewhat similar to creating software which will work only in Pentium(tm) class machines. Backward compatibility is not always possible without a massive increase in codebase and complexity which not many projects can afford.
2. We are more interested in two aspects of compatibility:
   • Peer compatibility - The service in question should be accessible in an useful way by other peer software which perform the same function.
   • Opensource option - There should be a way for the public to access the site using an Opensource option, if available. For example, making a site accessible using Internet Explorer and Safari satisfies (1a). But it is not good enough because (1b) is not satisfied - as an available Opensource option exists (Mozilla), and the site needs to be accessible by it.
3. We are not targetting each and every Indian website with these conditions. Rather we are targetting sites which are critical to the general public, which at present includes:
   1. Banking and insurance websites
   2. Government websites
   3. Airlines, Railways and other transportation related

Also note that we are ok if (1b) is satisfied but (1a) isnt. e.g. A site is only accessible using Mozilla and not other browsers. This is not hypocricy. Our campaign is about choice and openness. Unlike other browsers which require you to purchase a proprietary Operating System (OS), everybody has access to Mozilla. Also note that making a site only accessible by Opera (which works on many platforms, both Opensource and proprietary) is however not good enough because the software is Closed source and proprietary.

Successes

First a list of web sites that have listened to the community and become FOSS-friendly. We thank the web masters and policy makers for their consumer friendliness and openness.

Websites

Academic Institutions

ICFAI Business School

http://www.icfai.org/ - some parts do not work with FF (can update details once the site is back online)

-- ManishSharma - 26 Sep 2007

AIEEE

The site http://aieee.nic.in/AIEEE2008/welcome.html and even the online application form for AIEEE2008 > http://aieee.nic.in/AIEEE2008/online/onlineform.aspx explicitly states, "Best viewed in IE 5.0 and above with Display Settings as 1024x768 pixels and small fonts". Moreover, I saw the welcome page in Firefox under Ubuntu 7.04 was totally screwed, with poor accessibility to important information! This site is Designed, Developed and Maintained by Education Informatics Division, National Informatics Centre ! -- KamalMorjal - 06 Dec 2007

Private Concerns

http://vfs-usa.co.in

These people have been hired by the US embassy to handle visa ocessing for people in India. At the site you can fill in a visa application for the USA. But, you can't fill in the forms with firefox or safari - you have to use IE due to proprietary extensions - and the site doesn't tell you that beforehand. Instead it gives you a visual basic error after you are part of the way through. That is sloppy programming. The alternatives are: - use a phone number which no one picks up - go to their office in Nehru Place personally (their hours are a bit short though: 8:00-13:00, 14:00-15:00) - use MS windows

You cannot download the form in pdf format and send in a paper form. Definitely a hall of shame site.

PVR Cinemas

http://www.pvrcinemas.com

The largest multiplex cinema chain in India. Their website does not open in Firefox/Konqueror on Linux and gives some IIS/ASP error. On sending feedback to them, they asserted bluntly that their website can only be accessed with Micorosoft Internet Explorer. Browser compatibility information is not shown on their website anywhere.

To book tickets online, either one needs to change the browser identification or use MS Windows.

-- NishantSharma - 05 May 2008

Reliance India Call

https://www.relianceindiacall.com/

States explicitly that site will look best in IE. (Submitted by SridharRatna? )

Modified: -- KumarAppaiah - 27 Sep 2007

Tata Steel

http://www.tatasteel.com/

States explicitly that site will look best in IE. Although no major issues were noticed while browsing the site in Mozilla Firefox. (Submitted by NaveenGupta? )

Tirumala Thirupathi Devasthanams

http://www.tirumala.org/faq.htm#bestviewing

States explicitly that site will look best in IE. (Submitted by SridharRatna? )

India Today Group

http://www.aajtak.com/

Uses proprietary MSIE only dynamic font technology.

Despite repeated requests, they have not provided the fonts for download as an option Hindi websites of India today group (Submitted by Vivek Rai)

Air Deccan

http://airdeccan.booksecure.net/Criteria.aspx

"Best viewed with Internet Explorer" - direct entry to the HallOfShame. Submitted by Benjamin.

IL&FS Investsmart Limited

http://www.investsmartonline.com/

Desktop application for trading works only in Windows. Submitted by Mohan Sundaram.

Share Khan

http://www.sharekhan.com/

"Trade now" uses MS-JVM, which will work only on Windows. Submitted by Mehul.

Axis Bank

http://www.axisbank.com/

"Best viewed in Internet Explorer 5.5 and above." - Submitted by Bharathi Subramanian

Bank of Baroda - Baroda Connect

https://www.bobibanking.com

When opened in Firefox in Linux / Windows, gives this message. "Your browser is not Java Enabled. You cannot Login. Please enable Java First". No further operation is possible. The Browser Settings help page also talks only about IE. -- Balaji Narayanan

ABN Amro Bank - Internet Banking Login

http://www.abnamro.co.in

When opened in Firefox/Epiphany in Linux, nothing happens when you select Netbanking option in the "Internet Banking Login" combo box. This works fine with IE 6 (even on Linux!!!).

This is the Bank's response to my query

" We wish to inform you that currently you will not be able to access our Net banking service through Mozilla and Linux browser. However to access our Net banking services we recommend Internet explorer browser version to be 5.5 and 6 and we would also request you to kindly check if your Internet Explorer browser is configured for JAVA applet. "

Update...

When I wrote back this reply:-

Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your unsatisfactory response.
I would like to inform you that I am submitting ABN Amro's website to the Linux Hall Of Shame as you have deliberately prevented a large population of Linux users from accessing your site.
I would also request you to forward me the contact details of your Corporate Communications Head since I would like to forward the listing of ABN Amro on the Hall of Shame to that person.

This was the response I got:-

We thank you for sharing your feedback with us. However we wish to inform you that currently Net Banking can be best accessed in Windows, Windows 95 (or a later version) or windows NTA browser (preferably Microsoft internet explorer Version 5 or a later version)

-- ShivkumarJagannath - 23 Apr 2008

HDFC Bank - HDFC Securities

https://trade.hdfcsec.com/

Apart from claiming that the site is best viewed in IE 6. The site loads VERY badly in firefox2.0 the links overlap with each other. Site is unusable. -- Vikram S.V

IDBI Bank

https://inet.idbibank.co.in/

Apart from claiming this: "Best viewed using Internet Explorer (IE) ver 5.5 and above with a minimum resolution of 800*600", the site has stopped working with Firefox since past few weeks. The tone and quality of error messages adds insult to injury. Looks like there has been some change in their IT departments.. for the worse.

-- ManishSharma - 10 Feb 2008

Government websites

MTNL's New Customer Care Help Site

http://customercare.mtnl.in/ (Changed by RahulJoshi? )

Verified that it doesn't render on Gecko based browsers. -- KumarAppaiah - 27 Sep 2007

Indian Airlines

http://www.indianairlines.in/index.asp

States explicitly that site will look best in IE. Provides even a link to download IE at the bottom of every page! Uses ActiveX? controls (an Internet Explorer/Windows only technology)

Verified and updated link. -- KumarAppaiah - 27 Sep 2007

Food Corporation of India

http://fciweb.nic.in/hindi_index.htm

The Hindi website uses a proprietary dynamic font technology - Microsoft EOT.

Verified and updated link. -- KumarAppaiah - 27 Sep 2007

Ministry of Finance

http://finmin.nic.in/index1.html

States explicitly that site will look best in IE. Weirdly the hindi reports section says that site will look best in Netscape. However they use IE specific proprietary EOT dynamic fonts. Totally useless for users of any other browser or Operating system.

Verified and updated link. -- KumarAppaiah - 27 Sep 2007

All India Radio

http://allindiaradio.org/index-h.htm

Uses IE specific proprietary EOT dynamic fonts. Totally useless for users of any other browser or Operating system. Even provides a downloadable Windows only font installer.

Ministry of Law and Justice

http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/welcome.html

Did you know that you can only see the constitution of India in our national language - Hindi, if you use Internet Explorer? That is right. This law ministry section says so.

Update: I couldn't find the section referred to in the previous paragraph, but providing an old not-updated version of the Indian constitution, that too, as Microsoft Word documents, is shameful. So, this site belongs to the HallOfShame. -- KumarAppaiah - 27 Sep 2007

Government of Delhi

http://delhigovt.nic.in/

States explicitly that site will look best in IE. (Submitted by Kapil Sethi)

Government of Madhya Pradesh

http://www.mpgovt.nic.in/

States explicitly that site will look best in IE.

Update: Though the main site doesn't explicitly want IE, these do:

• http://www.boardofrevenue.mp.nic.in/caselist.htm
• http://demo.mp.nic.in/cris/
• http://www.mp.nic.in/highereducation/ggcganjbasoda/history.htm
• And many more.

-- KumarAppaiah - 27 Sep 2007

Official site for Prime Minister of India

http://www.pmindia.nic.in/

States explicitly that site will look best in IE (Submitted by Kapil Sethi)

Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

http://www.mea.gov.in/

States that site is Best Viewed in "Internet Explorer version 5.0 or above".

-- KumarAppaiah - 08 Oct 2007

Consular Passport and Visa Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

http://www.passport.gov.in/

The online registration is page says "Please Use Internet Explorer(5.x or above) for doing Online Registration". That apart, the JavaScript? on the online registration page is a nightmare, as it keeps eating up the date the user types in.

-- KumarAppaiah - 08 Oct 2007

Ministry of Coal, Government of India

http://www.coal.nic.in/

States that site will look best in IE 4.0 / Netscape 4.0 but uses IE specific proprietary EOT dynamic fonts. Totally useless for users of any other browser or Operating system. (Submitted by Kapil Sethi)

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited

http://www.irctc.co.in/

Their online passenger reservation site clearly mentions "Site best viewed in IE 5.5 and above", thus qualifying it for entry into the HallOfShame.

-- KumarAppaiah - 10 Oct 2007

Indian Railways Train Enquiry

http://trainenquiry.com/indexNS.aspx

• Uses proprietary hindi fonts.
• Most javascript menus are unusable.Though it claims it should be work.( Best viewed at 800x600 resolution with Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape Navigator 5.0 and higher.)

Bank of India

http://www.bankofindia.com/home/startpage.asp

• Their net banking does not work with non-IE browsers. Upon calling their helpdesk, I was told to use Internet Explorer
• Oh, just observed. Their site has a "Best viewed in Internet Explorer" message.

-- KumarAppaiah - 27 Sep 2007

Oriental Bank of Commerce

https://www.obconline.co.in

The website does not even allow users to enter the site using a non-IE browser, like Opera or Firefox. Submitted by Kamaleshwar Morjal.

BSNL DataOne? Account Administration

http://sancharnet.in/dataoneredirect.htm

(This site can be viewed only using a dataone connection)

Atleast 2 months ago, when I checked this, they used to block all browsers other than IE, displaying a page saying "Incompatible Explorer" - Note the usage of "explorer" as against Browser. I can't check this site at present because I am not on Dataone connection. The browser filtering is not even necessary for technical reasons because the site renders and works perfectly on Konqueror with a User Agent switch.

-- AkarshSimha - 28 Sep 2007

BHEL Recruitment page

http://www.bheletr.co.in/

Explicitly states: "Candidates are advised to use only Internet Explorer 6.0 or later versions. Use of any other browser could result in loss of information ."

-- DeepuJacob - 11 Oct 2007

Centre of Excellence for Classical Tamil (http://www.ciil-classicaltamil.org/)

http://www.ciil-classicaltamil.org/

"This site has been optimized for IE6.0 at 800x600 resolution." Submitted by SriRamadoss? .