Katrina Victims Need Internet Explorer to Apply for Relief

Mac and Linux users blacklisted from hurricane relief

Administration only gives cash to Microsoft users

By Nick Farrell: Thursday 08 September 2005, 07:51
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.

So far only Mac users that have Opera, which can make an attempt to show that it is an IE6 machine, are able to access the claims service.

According to online magazine Ars Technica, relief workers are frustrated at being tied to Windows by FEMA's online services.

They have to spend precious aid money on Windows OS licenses as they set up terminals to help thousands of hurricane victims initiate the claims process.

They are complaining that Windows XP workstations take ages to set up, patch and configure, when they could do the whole thing a lot quicker on Linux.

Some hardware, which has been donated to the cause, will not run Windows XP.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=26013

All i can say is that this mistake was probably made long before Firefox became a popular browser!