Slashdot Mirror

Thinking along the same lines..

It really disgusts me to see this for the "minmum computer requirements" for SERVE, the new online voting that the federal government has been developing:

Minimum Computer Requirements
1. a Windows-based computer (Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT or XP)

2. a connection to the Internet (dial-up modem, cable, DSL, LAN, WAN, etc.)

3. one of the following Internet browsers:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 5.5 and above
- Netscape Navigator, version 6.x and above

If you are using an older browser, you can download a new version at the Microsoft or Netscape websites:
- Internet Explorer: http://www.microsoft.com
- Netscape Navigator: http://www.netscape.com


At the Midwest ACM Reflections Projections Conference today, the keynote speaker mentioned that the government would be requiring ActiveX for one of the online voting systems. So not only do you have to be 18, you must run Internet Explorer on Windows too. I find this very frightening.

Check this site then click on "How to Participate" then "Minimum Computing Requirements." They're using some kind of POST form, so I can't link to them directly.

The minimum computer requirements are:

• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT or XP
• Internet Browser: either Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and above or Netscape Navigator 6.x and above
• ...

No, the Technical FAQ just says that your browser must support SSL 3.0. It specifies IE 5.5+ or Netscape 6+ as a requirement, probably because they weren't aware of any other browsers. I would guess that any Gecko-based browser would be technically compatible with the voting system, but the FAQ does say that you have to have Windows. I don't know what the OS has to do with SSL. It seems like a meaningless requirement. I'm thinking that it's really just the recommended or "supported" configuration. In other words, they don't want to hear your complaints that you couldn't vote if you are using Mosaic on OS/2.

Moreover, I think the requirements might be intended to limit their own legal liability if you are unable to vote. There are countless configurations out there, and the government doesn't want to guarantee that you'll be able to vote with whatever h4x0r OS or browser you're using. Voting is a serious thing; a Constitutional right. If they claim it works, then it has to work. I think the stated software requirements is just a measure to protect themselves.

I don't know if the voting system would prohibit you from trying to vote from a non-Windows box. But since you defied the instructions, you'd probably have no legal grounds to protest if your vote gets "lost."

Please remember that we are Slashdot, we are numerous, and we are powerful. So go to the site, click Contact Us, and give them a piece of your mind. For that matter, you could even snail mail them something. When webmasters start getting tons of mail about allowing real browsers, they sometimes do it. And in this case, it affects voting, so it's very important. Surely a few hundred messages asking them not to discriminate on UserAgent headers, submitted before the system's even implemented, will widen their view.

Agreed, even better, let them know what you think on their feedback form. I just did, maybe if everbody else does we'll make a difference before it's "too late".

If you don't like that this will be Windows-only, go to http://www.serveusa.gov/public/aca.aspx and click on "Contact Us." If they get 10,000 emails from slashdotters, they might think twice, and it will take 3 minutes of your time.

Check here for details.

It seems the Windows requirement is arbitrary.

If you want to use your computer to exercise your right to vote, you must purchase a product from one particular company.

And it's not the browser, either, as you can use Mozilla (Netscape 6x) as long as you're on Microsoft.

I guess it wont make much difference to our servicemen, as they will probably be using Windows anyway, but what about overseas citizens? Do they just change thier user-agent string?

Here's the requirement from serveusa.gov.

Why the Windows requirement? Is that really going to make online voting secure?

As for "Why Windows", the SERVE web site says, "All required software is downloaded automatically as needed when you access various parts of the SERVE website." That seems to indicate some kind of embedded web application. I'd guess this application is native code, since Windows no longer comes with Java, and there's no mention of a Java download.

Or it might be that whoever wrote the FAQ page doesn't know much about the app, and is tapdancing around the details. Certainly it would make sense to implement this app entirely on the server. If that's the case, then it's reasonable to ask why other platforms with compliant servers aren't acceptable.

The answer to that would be QA. On a project like this, they have to carefully test the app, and even with their current limitations they have 4 different browser-platform combinations (IE and Netscape, Pre-NT and NT Windows) to test.

This points up a big problem with web applications. Most of us would like to see web developers code to a standard, not to a browser. Until they do, browser implementers has no incentive to support standards, and all that cool stuff in HTML4 and cSS2 is just so much noise.

(And yes, Internet Explorer -- except for the Mac version -- is particularly bad. But all browsers have serious compliance issues, so we can't put all the blame on Mister Bill.)

But why should web developers bother? Even if they're aware of the importance of standards -- and most appear not to be -- it doesn't save them from the need to test their apps on every browser-platform combination they claim to support. So what does compliance buy them, except extra work?

Why the Windows requirement?

Maybe because the VAST majority of individualsuse MS Windows. You ASSume that it is just a HTTP connection with SSL so any OS should suffice. Look at the F.A.Q.. It says that "required software is downloaded automatically as needed when you access various parts of the SERVE website. Possibly, the voting software uses their own encryption and will be delivered as an ActiveX or some other format. Could they have written the software so it could work on other OS. Sure but it's a trial run! Their is no right to Vote from a Linux box.

Do I need a special computer or software to use the SERVE system?
No. If your computer, or the public computer you are using, meets the minimum computer requirements, you will be able to use the UOCAVA Voting System (UVS). The minimum computer requirements are:

- Operating System: Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT or XP
- Internet Browser: either Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and above or Netscape Navigator 6.x and above

What browsers are compatible with SERVE?
For security reasons, SERVE is only compatible with browsers with SSL 3.0 capabilities, which are listed below:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and above
- Netscape Navigator 6.x and above

This is somewhat unrelated, but still an interesting comment on their page:

Does SERVE use Microsoft's Palladium software architecture?
No, the Palladium software is not sufficiently ubiquitous at this time for use in SERVE.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program actually has a system online for this called SERVE. It looks like it will only be used for military and absentee voting in 2004 (and requires legislation in several states to be implemented), but appears to involve issuing cryptographic keys during registration that can later be used to authenticate votes during the election.

-j