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US Copyright Office Considering MSIE-only website

wikinerd writes "The United States Copyright Office asks whether you would have any problem if you were required to use Microsoft Internet Explorer in order to pre-register a work via their website. The Norwegian government recently said no to proprietary formats, but it seems that the US government sites should be informed about the existence of non-Microsoft Web browsers, such as Firefox, Konqueror, Opera, and Safari. I have written a letter about this issue, which is posted on my blog for everyone to copy and base on it their own response. If they see how many people use alternative browsers, they'll probably reconsider and stay within the W3C standards."

17 of 491 comments (clear)

  1. But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...how should I learn to care about copyrights of others when I can't access this site?

  2. m$ domination by joet3ch1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    m$ is hogging all the patents anyways... so we might as well use their browser!

  3. Slashdot Considers Dupe Free Website by Quarters · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hahaha, I kid, I kid.

  4. Standards by alnapp · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just stick to the standards, then all browsers will be able to access it.

    Haha aHahaHaha HahaHaha
    HahaHahaHa
    haHahaHahaHahaHah
    aHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHaha

    etc.

    1. Re:Standards by mrRay720 · · Score: 4, Funny

      In particular, if a blind user comes to our website, they should see something...

      What are you - Jesus or something?

  5. Poor Copyright Office! by OwlWhacker · · Score: 2, Funny

    Perhaps the Copyright Office doesn't have enough cash to pay a competent Web developer to create its site?

  6. From TFA... by jpellino · · Score: 5, Funny

    "If hand delivered by a private party, an original and five copies of any comment should be brought to Room LM-401 of the James Madison Memorial Building between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and the envelope should be addressed as follows: Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Copyright Office, James Madison Memorial Building, Room LM-401, 101 Independence Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20559-6000. If hand delivered by a commercial courier, an original and five copies of any comment must be delivered to the Congressional Courier Acceptance Site located at Second and D Streets, NE., Washington, DC, between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The envelope should be addressed as follows: Copyright Office General Counsel, Room LM-403, James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Avenue, SE., Washington, DC. If sent by mail, an original and five copies of any comment should be addressed to: Copyright GC/ I&R, P.O. Box 70400, Southwest Station, Washington, DC 20024-0400. Comments may not be delivered by means of overnight delivery services such as Federal Express, United Parcel Service, etc., due to delays in processing receipt of such deliveries."

    Which is French for...

          "But Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months."
          "Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them had you? I mean like actually telling anybody or anything."
          "But the plans were on display ..."
          "On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."
          "That's the display department."
          "With a torch."
          "Ah, well the lights had probably gone."
          "So had the stairs."
          "But look, you found the notice didn't you?"
          "Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying Beware of the Leopard."

    --
    "Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
    1. Re:From TFA... by Dunbal · · Score: 2, Funny

      an original and five copies of any comment must be delivered to the Congressional Courier Acceptance Site located at

            You'd think the fine folks at the US Copyright Office would own a photocopier...oh, wait!

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  7. Re:Swings and Roundabouts by charlesbakerharris · · Score: 2, Funny
    Write an intelligent and well-informed comment to:

    You must be new here...

  8. MS Patents by jim_v2000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    In other news, Microsoft filed a patent today for an "Interface for accessing an online database of patents".

    --
    Don't take life so seriously. No one makes it out alive.
  9. Re:Interesting by benjamindees · · Score: 4, Funny

    1995 U.S. sues Microsoft
    2000 U.S. drops suit
    2003 U.S. uses Microsoft software exclusively
    2005 U.S. forces citizens to use MS software to access government sites
    you are here
    2012 U.S. forces everyone to use MS software to access the internet
    2018 U.S. implants citizens with microchip running MS software
    2020 U.S. uses MS software/implants to read your thoughts
    2030 U.S. uses MS software/implants to control your actions

    --
    "I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
  10. Re:Quite right by ShieldW0lf · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh no. You don't get to pass it off as laziness. You didn't need to read the article or the summary, the title clearly states that it's referring to the copyright office. This was clearly a bad case of dumb.

    That's it, give me your mouse and glasses, you're suspended.

    --
    -1 Uncomfortable Truth
  11. Re:Swings and Roundabouts by Ixne · · Score: 2, Funny


    You must stamp it with a "COPY" rubber stamp. Duh.

  12. Re:Swings and Roundabouts by Cygnus78 · · Score: 2, Funny

    So you need to go by a rubber stamp to write to them... I am giving up.

  13. Sample for you slashbotters by ad0gg · · Score: 4, Funny
    Dear Coypright GC,

    OMGWTF!!! U = N00BS!!!1 F1r3f0x pwns IE.
    K BYE..

    gg
    Your Name.

    --

    Have you ever been to a turkish prison?

  14. Re:Interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    2019 U.S. citizens fall-over without warning.

    Unless they uncheck the Automatically Restart option. Then they turn blue and stand still until someone pokes them in the belly-button.

  15. Establishment of Religion by bookhappy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Isn't there something in the Constitution about no Government establishment of religion? 'nuf said