tech industry
10/27/2005, 6:05pm, EDT
Thursday, October 27th
Mac users locked out of AmEx application process
Mac users are second-class citizens again with at least one employer shutting out them out from its Web employment application. The American Express website shuns Mac users when they attempt to apply online for employment with the following message: "at this time, the system does not support Mac environments. If you don't have access to a PC at home or work, please check out a local public library for internet access, local internet cafes, or the nearest government Work Force Center." "I am amazed that a Fortune 100 company would effectively shut out a good portion of possible candidates," the individual stated. Some people reported being able to file an application online using Safari or Internet Explorer for the Mac, while others encountered glitches, according to a report from News.com. American Express uses a company called BrassRing to manage its online job applications; however the firms' software doesn't support Macs at this time. BrassRing claims to be releasing a newer version in December, however, that will be Firefox-compatible to support Mac users, according to the report.
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"We're sorry, but we don't accept wheelchairs right now. We suggest you crawl, roll, or borrow someone else's legs to access our place."
Ever since, anything I get in the mail from those idiots goes right into the shredder, unopened.
Of course, this leaves open the reason why they have their main Amex card pages PC compatible given that people who can afford to upgrade out of the PC morass are more likely to afford a premium credit card.
why bring the price of a mac into it? it basically comes down to programming the site/back-end software like mymacluvsme said, "1998. Web standards have become just that, standards.".
99% sure the programming language was writen by a PC developer who never touched a mac (who secretly wants one), or the echelon in the office was the same.
although i use both platforms, and lean towards the mac platfrom, i program all my sites etc for cross browser/platfrom compatibility. the developer was just lazy,
so sick of these lazy fvcks who just don't get it > all industries mature, and as they do standards emerge. if you don't follow these standards (as much as the browser wars currently allows), your work is sh1t. you will swim in your own sh1t.
Why should I ever 'HAVE'to test on other platforms? It's like NBC having to test their TV signals on Panasonic/Sony/Samsung, etc., etc. TV's to make sure they all work.
The problem that there ARE web standards, but they AREn't implemented in every browser, or especially I.E. as they are only partially implemented and also have their OWN standards that they create.
Face it...as much as I hate to, it's an I.E. World. THe problem is, there are even different versions of I.E. with different levels of compatability with certain websites.
I wish that vendors had to have their browsers sanctioned with the W3C before they were allowed to release them .... or some kind of major stir up like that to enforce STANDARDS!
wheeew ... all this ranting!
It's pretty simple, really: money. You shut out a percentage of your possible consumers, and in this case, employees, if you follow this outdated web development philoshopy.
Web standards are so much better today, helping to go the distance to make the experience a joy for all. I don't think it's fair to say "let's face it, it's an I.E. world." It depends. I develop in a Windows environment, but that's because everybody here uses Windows. But if I were working at say, MacNN, I would focues on the development for Safari and Firefox for the Mac first, because I'm positive that's what the majority of viewers are using when they visit this site.
Want to see something just as bad? Go here: http://www.vh1.com/vspot/index.jhtml. Even MTV and VH1, who clearly have some Mac people working for them, despite their viewers, only have I.E.-only on their sites. How retarded.