Re: On line passport application

On Sun, Jan 13, 2013 at 11:32:14PM +0000, Tim Hill wrote:
> In article
> <56966.82.153.33.53.1358117198.squirrel@email.orpheusnet.co.uk>, Gerald
> Dodson <gerald.dodson@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
> > > In message
> > > <55612.82.153.33.53.1358077313.squirrel@email.orpheusnet.co .uk>
> > > "Gerald Dodson" <gerald.dodson@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Trouble with this on the UK gov site: goes to an error 404 screen.
> > >> Has anyone had success with this?
> > >
> > > Hi Gerald
> > >
> > > Can you give the URL? I'll have a go.
> > >
> > > Chris.
> > >
>
>
> > It is:
>
> > https://passports.ips.gov.uk/epa1r1a/ctl04 On Suirrel it does not show
> > distinction between lower case 'l' and number 1. The string "epa" is
> > followed by number 1r1: the 'ct' by lower case 'l'.
>
> Perhaps you should use a better font. (What's Suirrel?)
>
> As usual, this seems to be a NetSurf+Javascript issue. On 'another
> platform' with a modern browser, the page linked to from
> passports.ips.gov.uk is
> https://passports.ips.gov.uk/epa1r1a/Rich/Formpage.aspx and not what
> Netsurf comes up with that you quote; it uses a javascript link. Even
> NetSurf's partial javascript is obviously not catered for.

Actually the *correct* analysis is:

https://passports.ips.gov.uk/ ->302 redirect -> https://passports.ips.gov.uk/epa1r1a/index.html

All the links use old style javascript: URI scheme links (instead on onclick) calling __doPostBack();

unfortunately because out User-Agent reply is truthful and not a pack
of lies. The site is not serving any of the javascript code to provide
the actual implementation for __doPostBack

which, unsurprisingly, results in bad page navigation.

I will open the discussion with the other developers on our UA string
again...trouble is I agree with the principle of not lieing so this is
a difficult issue to think about.



>
> Whether you can get any further with NetSurf is not something I would
> bother to try. I long ago gave up using RISC OS for 'serious' surfing.
> Even a £28 Android tablet is more capable, unfortunately.

This is not a helpful statement, especialy not on the NetSurf users
mailing list, you are of course entitled to express your
opinion...elsewhere.

>
> --
> Tim Hill
> ..............................................................

--
Regards Vincent
http://www.kyllikki.org/