BuyMusic.com blocks non IE users.

[petey]

BuyMusic.com (BM) is a new online service similar to Apple's iTunes, but targeted to Windows users. On BM's website, users of Mozilla, Opera, or any non IE browser are sent to an error page informing they must use IE on a Windows machine.

I submitted feedback asking why they did this when modern browsers made it unnecessary. They replied that, specifically, the music download and decryption service requires ActiveX. I responded that it didn't justify shutting out certain users, they gave me a boilerplate, "we'll file this suggestion", response.

I can understand BM using ActiveX on the site since they're targeting the Windows crowd. However I still think their approach of utterly blocking users is bad for business and bad for the web. It angers users and drives away curious surfers who might be willing to fire up IE when they discover the service. What do you think?

-Petey

http://www.drpeterjones.com/

News and views of some obscure guy

 

[Wullie]

It's a perfect example of bad design and management.

Wullie

http://www.necomputers.org.uk

http://www.freshlookdesign.co.uk

http://www.freshlookdesign.com

http://www.whiland.co.uk

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change.
The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell

 

[Ladyhawk]

Nice way to kill half your market!

Ladyhawk.
** ASP/VB/Java Programmer **

 

[dwarfthrower]

Not being one who is quick to condemn. It's their site, their business. If they feel that the 'stickiness' generated by using the slickest tools and providing the best possible interface to one sector of the community outweighs the drawbacks of excluding the other sectors, why shouldn't they create an IE-only site?

<<ducks>>

 

[dakota81]

Before bashing the site for it's non-caring nature for supporting alternative browsers, just keep in mind:

1) Statistically IE dominates at 90%+ of users.
2) By far, IE supports the most features of any browser.
3) Most importantly, this site is for the protection of DRM. IE and Windows Media Player can guarantee that protection, Mozilla, Opera, Linux, do not.


I loved NN 4, and currently use Mozilla 1.4, maintain a company web-site and have a couple other web projects. But I have absolutely no problem switching over to IE when necessary; I firmly believe that the internet should not be held back waiting for every browser to support every feature. IE is the standard, and instead of bugging the hell out of BuyMusic.com, you should be bugging the hell out of the Mozilla team or the Opera team to include definitive support for ActiveX and DRM.


I personally do not like DRM and will never use BuyMusic.com, but the bottom line is, to have the full support of RIAA, the site needs DRM and this is the only way it can currently be accomplished.

 

[petey]

Well, assuming that this [

http://www.scriptygoddess.com/archives/004057.php

] is a fluke and they really do have the slickest possible service for their target userbase, and assuming for a moment that ActiveX really is a reliable and secure system that all browsing technologies ought to embed, what value does browser-blocking add to the service?

Consider: IE users who encounter BM don't have any bearing on this issue, by definition. Browser-blocking doesn't affect them. The issue then is how to best handle the narrow minority of potential customers who don't use IE.

Should they be told they are lepers, go away, or should they be allowed to explore the service, but told they need to switch to IE if they want to download? Which one will generate the best image for the company, and which one will generate more revenue for the company? Keep in mind that non IE users are generally an opinionated, tech-savvy crowd.

http://www.drpeterjones.com/

News and views of some obscure guy

 

[dwarfthrower]

>> Keep in mind that non IE users are generally an opinionated, tech-savvy crowd.

'speshully that AOL and Web-TV bunch y'all

 

[petey]

AOL is IE, and I said 'generally'.

http://www.drpeterjones.com/

News and views of some obscure guy

 

[dakota81]

When does the site call me a leper? I must have missed that... And if I missed the other situation, Netscape is owned by AOL...

But anyways, regardless of however we think the web should be run, to protect DRM, BuyMusic.com currently must shut out alternative browsers and OS's from the site's main function; purchasing and downloading music. I hope this is not what we're discussing in this thread.


How they should notify users of alternative browsers and OS's to switch should be discussed here, and a wide range of comments on this topic probably would be very nice. I personally do not mind a site coming out front and blocking alternatives saying exactly what is required for a site, given this unique situation.

I think an analogy with linux vs. windows might be good here; when someone switches over to using linux, they are doing so under the assumption that you are giving up the ability to run certain software titles that are available for Windows. To use any such software, it is understood that instead of demanding linux support from the software developer, you would need a separate Windows machine (maybe a dual boot).

In my perfect world, the same applies to alternative browsers. I've always used either Navigator or Mozilla as my primary browser, and I have always understood that some sites will be accessable only to IE. I have Windows XP, I have IE 6, I have absolutely no problem with switching browsers for a particular site, and have no quarrels with how BuyMusic.com handles this issue. Maybe it's a little different with me because I knew the site used DRM before I first checked it out.

 

[Wullie]

Petey,

It is pretty clear from the link that you provided to scriptygoddess.com that this company is a shambles, and doesn't care about their customers.

dakota81,

3) Most importantly, this site is for the protection of DRM. IE and Windows Media Player can guarantee that protection, Mozilla, Opera, Linux, do not.

Anyone know what happens to an Opera user that is passing IE as the browser string and tries to use the site?

And if I missed the other situation, Netscape is owned by AOL

AOL owns Netscape but uses IE as the AOL browser.

Hope this helps

Wullie

http://www.necomputers.org.uk

http://www.freshlookdesign.co.uk

http://www.freshlookdesign.com

http://www.whiland.co.uk

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change.
The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell

 

[petey]

>> ...must shut out alternative browsers and OS's from the site's main function; purchasing and downloading music. I hope this is not what we're discussing in this thread.

Nope, I was discussing their decision to exclude non IE users from their web content. Wal-Mart lets you browse their store. They don't check for a credit card at the door and escort you out if you don't have one.

>> Anyone know what happens to an Opera user that is passing IE as the browser string and tries to use the site?

An IE UA doesn't work. I think they must go one step more and sniff for document.all or something. They're really trying hard.

http://www.drpeterjones.com/

News and views of some obscure guy

 

[lebisol]

below bottom line:
thier customers...their site...thier loss...their gain

> need more info?
:: don't click HERE ::