Does NCFCU use NetTeller? NSB does, and that works absolutely fine with FF on Linux.
I've found that general jumping up and down and being the (polite but VERY firm) squeaky wheel often gets results that make me stop jumping up and down... I've used the same technique on many occasions where an 'upgrade' to some site or other ended up breaking Firefox compatibility. Your notes were well said, and a note of thanks goes a long way... It's certainly just as important to recognize good behaviour as it is to identify and grumble about the bad :) Rubin On Wed, 2008-04-09 at 18:40 -0700, Rick White wrote: > Abstract: > > Online Banking has grown more Microsoft®-specific, and Open > Source software has been made more difficult, if not impossible, > to utilize in accessing banking features once taken for granted. > For many, the use of PC or Mac software is not a problem, but > for this Ubuntu-only user a solution was found (with the kind > advice of Paul Flint) by simply writing to customer support. > Under no illusions that the bank's attitude change was more > likely their failure to even support Vista® than a genuine > change-of-heart, nevertheless a small growth in the acceptance > > of FOSS merits passing mention in this forum. What follows are > the raw email exchanges, narrated for clarity. > (Disinterested readers should stop here) > **************************************************** > > To set the scene, I have been a depositor at NorthCountry > Federal Credit Union for more than a decade, and in the last 20 > months using Ubuntu 6.06 and the current Firefox version to do > my online banking. I have seen more and more hoops to jump > through, such that for the last few months I've needed a > developer kit to open partially obscured frames in new tabs. It > has been a lengthy workaround that stopped working entirely some > weeks ago. Incensed, I wrote to member services: > > From: Rick White <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: Rick White <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: Don't miss out... Pay bills online and win! > Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 07:40:47 -0500 > Mailer: Evolution 2.6.1 > > > I appreciate your offer for greater online service and > flexibility, but there is a larger issue that I hope you will > address soon. > > As your online presence proceeds, I have noticed a steady > decline in available online access to banking options, > specifically, the Transfer Funds option does not appear on the > summary page. > > As a retired computer professional, I strenuously object to the > requirement that only Microsoft and Apple are eligible for > "Enhanced Security". This is patently not true, as I have been > using Linux (the Ubuntu distro) and Firefox for years on your > site*. I have seen the changes in access, which are demeaning > and pointless. Why do you care what software I use? The Web was > built using open standards. > > So, please go back to basics; make online activity inclusive and > some ofus in the Linux community might not only take you up on > your offers, but possibly recommend you to our brethren. > > Respectfully, > > Rick White > > * I don't wish to disclose my workarounds, but the fact that > they exist demonstrates the invalidity of the claim that access > cannot be obtained by Linux/Firefox. > > -------------------------- > I mentioned this development to Paul Flint, who is doing > contract work for me. He asked to be shown the process I'd used > and we were subsequently astonished to see that the bank website > was back to its old friendly interface, with the transaction > link unhidden. Flint indicated that I should follow up with a > polite note to them: > > On Wed, 2008-03-19 at 09:49 -0400, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Dear Rick, > > > > After studying your note, I would advise that you follow up > >with a note praising the new and more secure interface and > >thanking them for listening. Try to send this to the > >web-weenie's boss. > > > ---------------------------- > > Letter to bank: > > From: Rick White <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: Rick White <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: A word of appreciation > Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:19:36 -0400 > Mailer: Evolution 2.6.1 > > > Dear NorthCountry FCU, > > As a proponent and user of open-source software (Linux/Firefox), > I wish to thank you for restoring the old functionality of your > website, making online banking a pleasure again. The secure > interface is much nicer lately. > > Although I wrote a memo last week about this very subject, I am > fairly sure that many other depositors have been requesting > easier access, and that your actions are not due to one letter > alone. Nevertheless, I feel that since the possibility exists > that I helped in some small way to bring about the welcome > changes, I am grateful for having found a sympathetic ear. Thank > you for listening. You have a satisfied customer. > > I will try to inform other Open Source advocates in the Vermont > area of your refreshing attitude toward our growing numbers. > > Sincerely, > > Rick White > > ------------------------- > Received bank's reply: > > From: Memberservices <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Character set > not allowed - A word of appreciation > Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:02:57 -0400 > > > Dear Rick, > Thank you for your email. We appreciate any type of member feed > back as it gives us the opportunity to make improvements. I am > glad we were able to assist you, and other members with the same > software, by streamlining your online banking access. Please > don't hesitate to let us know if there is anything else we can > do to assist you! > Sincerely, > Erica Williams > Contact Center > > --------------------------- > > End of story. The purpose of recording it here is both to > illustrate one fortunate episode and the other is a shameless > plug for NorthCountry FCU, which has several Vermont branches. > If all you use is Linux (or other non-PC/Mac) here is one > solution to online banking difficulties. My presumption is that > other people have had this same problem. If I have wasted your > time, my apologies. > > Rick White > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com -- Rubin Bennett rbTechnologies, LLC [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://thatitguy.com (802)223-4448 "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Ben Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
