[lug] IP: FCC forces Ham radio operators to use Windows (fwd from: dave at farber.net)

Mon Apr 1 16:51:09 MST 2002

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Subject: IP: FCC forces Ham radio operators to use Windows
From: Dave Farber <dave at farber.net>
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From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger at ultradevices.com>
Organization: UltraDevices, Inc
Date: Mon, 01 Apr 2002 14:57:01 -0800
To: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne at warpspeed.com>, Dave Farber
<farber at cis.upenn.edu>
Subject: FCC forces Ham radio operators to use Windows

FCC forces Ham radio operators to use Windows
http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=659653

Applying for or renewing an amateur radio license? If you ain't using
Microsoft Windows, fugetaboutit.

Summary
'Linux? Step to the back of the bus, please. This section is reserved
for Windows users only.' That's the message everyone but Microsoft
Windows users get when they wish to do more than browse the FCC's Web
site. Ironic that an agency bearing the name 'communications' does
such a lousy job of it. (1,200 words)

By Joe Barr

(LinuxWorld) -- Early in January, I sent e-mail to each of the four
FCC commissioners: Michael Powell, Kathleen Abernathy, Michael Copps,
and Kevin Martin.  Their names are displayed prominently on the FCC
homepage (see Resources for the URL) so it seemed completely natural
and fitting that I contact them about a problem on the FCC Web
site. My complaint was that certain functionality on the site is not
available to me because I use Linux instead of Windows. I never
received a response from any commissioner.

I first became aware of the problem last year when a friend of mine, a
lawyer and Linux aficionado, sent me a copy of a letter he had mailed
to FCC Chairman Michael Powell. The letter asked that the FCC stop the
"wholly unnecessary and entirely unconscionable" practice of providing
online license renewals for amateur radio licenses only to users of
Windows. Like me, my friend never received a reply.

Then I pretty much forgot about the issue. After all, it did not
affect my daily life. Recently I began studying for a ham license. I
mentioned that to another friend who happens to be a licensed amateur
radio operator. That reminded her that she needed to report a recent
change of address to the FCC. When she tried to do so from my desktop
computer, the following pop-up window appeared in the browser:

Ugly, isn't it? Not just the popup. Not just the message. I mean the
fact that the FCC is helping Microsoft in its illegal practices to
maintain its monopoly. Intentional or not, that's the result
here. Moreover, it appears to have been in place since the ULS first
went online. I found a newsgroup post from August of 1999 that said "I
did notice one of the other FCC Web page popped up with a window
saying 'This plug-in is only available for Windows 95/98'. I have no
clue what the plug-in did."

Whoever wrote the ULS applications, and thus far, I haven't been able
to learn where it came from, or who currently maintains it, used
JavaScript for the task. There is huge irony in this because
JavaScript, like Java itself, was designed to provide interoperability
across different platforms. To fashion a Windows-only JavaScript
application requires either deliberate intent or myopic programmers. I
asked some JavaScript experts how to create Windows-only code. Most
opined it is the result of using Microsoft's ActiveX. If they are
right, it means this site's functionality not only flies in the face
of interoperability and open access to all, it's fundamentally
insecure as well.

In my e-mail to the commissioners I wrote, "The problem as reported to
me -- and as confirmed by a friend this past weekend -- is that
certain functionality on the FCC Web site is available only to Windows
users.  Specifically, the JavaScript or CGI used to allow Ham radio
operators to update their licensing information online. This leaves
Hams using Macintosh, Linux, OS/2, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and other
operating systems out in the cold."

I also asked the obvious question, "As the Internet, HTML, and Java
are all about the interoperability of different types of computers and
software platforms, how does it come about that a governmental agency
implements a solution available only to a single platform?" I noted
that since JavaScript works on many different platforms, making a
JavaScript application "Windows only" seems to require deliberate
intent.

Mr. Barr calls Washington After a week, and not a word in reply from
any of the FCC commissioners, I took it to the next level: I picked up
the phone and called the FCC. When I asked to speak to their media
relations people, the operator asked what my call was about. When I
said it was about functionality on the FCC Web site, they directed my
call not to public relations, but to David Kitzmiller, the FCC
Webmaster.

Kitzmiller knew which corner of the bureaucracy to look in for
answers, even though it didn't fall directly under his purview. He
copied me on a portion of the e-mail he sent to the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), who evidently is responsible for
relations with the contractor providing the ULS services.

His e-mail appeared to be aimed at the right people, asking that they
do the right things to fix the problem.  In addition, he asked that
they update the site's help and support pages to explain the
situation. He concluded it by saying "let me know what happens with
this, since we get quite a few e-mails to webmaster at fcc.gov on this
subject." That was January 15, 2002.

For several weeks afterwards, I would query Kitzmiller for the latest
status on the fix. Finally, I exhausted his patience. He told me on
February 22 that he had been told by someone or something called
"TPTB" at the WTB that the problem was bigger than they first
thought. However, he went on to say that it would still be fixed. He
quoted TPTB saying, "The FCC is in the process of revising the
software and the revised software will work with Linux. The first
application to be revised will be License Search later this month.
Other ULS applications will follow."

Here we are a month beyond the promised date for implementing the
first fix, and it still isn't in place.  Neither have the help/support
pages been updated as Kitzmiller requested.

Some active Ham friends of mine have suggested that the FCC site is in
violation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, §1194.22, which
defines access requirements for government Web sites among other
things. I've asked the GSA this question directly, but have yet to
receive a reply.

Time for the soapbox I can almost understand the buffoonery of the FCC
commissioners. Colin Powell's son Michael and the others have other
things to do than be concerned about ordinary citizens trying to avail
themselves of ordinary services on their Web site. They certainly
can't be held accountable if the FCC's Web site is "accidentally"
helping Microsoft maintain its malignant monopoly. In fact, they can't
even be counted on to answer their mail: paper or electronic. They are
busy with other things. They have bigger fish to fry.

Bigger fish like making sure the cable companies are unfettered by the
regulations that bind their broadband competition at the Baby
Bells. And defending themselves from the rash of lawsuits that action
has spawned.

Some of their bigger fish don't live in the corporate pond, but in the
pond of public morality. Like the integrity (or lack thereof) of
individual amateur radio operators. Like Kevin Mitnick, for
example. Mitnick has held and used his Ham license for 25 years. The
FCC blocked his recent application for renewal, and not on the basis
of any misuse of the license, but because he was convicted of computer
crime.

Sagging as they must be under the weight of those awesome
responsibilities, it's easy to see why I was pointed away from them
and towards Kitzmiller. Speaking of Kitzmiller, I just received an
update from him this morning. (Ed. Barr wrote this Friday, March 28,
2002.) Kitzmiller wrote that the License Search application is now
"available." When I raced to the Web site to try it, the new "Linux
friendly" version had yet to appear. It does sound as if it is on the
way, however. Maybe folks who don't do Windows won't have to ride in
the back of this bus for too much longer.

About the author
Joe Barr is a freelance journalist covering Linux, open source, and
network security. His 'Open Source' column has been a regular feature
of LinuxWorld.com since its inception. As far as we know, he is the
only living journalist whose works have appeared both in phrack, the
legendary underground zine, and IBM Personal Systems Magazine.

-- 
Robert J. Berger
UltraDevices, Inc.
257 Castro Street, Suite 223 Mt. View CA. 94041
Email: rberger at ultradevices.com http://www.ultradevices.com
Voice: 650-237-0334 Fax: 408-490-2868

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