[clue-talk] FEMA blacklists Linux & Mac Users from hurricane website ?

[Nate Duehr]

John Kennedy wrote:

>For your info..
>
>FEMA is only allowing users of the Microsoft Internet
>Explorer browser to apply for hurricane relief funds.
>"The now very much criticised US Federal Emergency
>Management Agency (FEMA) has stopped Mac and Linux
>victims of hurricane Katrina from applying for relief.
>The agency, which is already in hot water for its
>lack-lustre rescue efforts in New Orleans, has created
>a web-based service that only works for users of
>Windows and IE6." There is a work-around for Firefox
>users
>
>see...
>
>http://lwn.net/Articles/150834/
>
>John Kennedy
>  
>
With the new rules regarding Federal agencies building their sites with 
Accessibility for disabled folks, are they in violation of that law by 
picking and choosing browser type?

Just wondering.  I hate it that a government agency had to be forced to 
do the right thing (create accessible sites) with a law, but if that law 
can also have the side-effect that they can't arbitrarily block certain 
browsers and must use reasonable standards instead of using the browser 
itself as a standard... I'm all for it.

Wonder if the EFF has talked to them yet, too.

Nate