• unalivejoy@lemm.eeEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      This means they forgot platforms other than Windows exists. It’s likely they’re checking for currently supported systems and anything older is insecure, so blocked for your security.

      Likely something like this pseudocode

      function isPlatformVersionSupported(useragent) {
    // Windows XP is NT 5.1
    // Windows Vista is NT 6.0
    // Windows 7 is NT 6.1
    // Windows 8 is NT 6.2
    // Windows 8.1 is NT 6.3
    // Windows 10 and 11 is NT 10.0
    if (useragent.name == "Windows" && useragent.version.match(/Windows NT (6\.3|10)/)) {
        return true
    }

    // TODO: insert supported macos versions here

    return false
}
  • JuxtaposedJaguar@lemmy.mlEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    I’ll just change my web browser’s user agent then; you’re a fucking website, you don’t need to know which OS I’m using.

    It’s amazing how many “unsupported” web apps work perfectly fine once you change the UA. It’s often a completely arbitrary limitation so that they can hire less qualified support staff.

      • lagoon8622@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        Nope we don’t want to hire anyone who knows anything about Linux, no one uses Linux

        “Linux is unsupported”, that’ll work

        Everyone: uses a UA switcher

        “See? No one uses Linux, 100% of users are on Windows or MacOS”

  • fennec@lemm.eeEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Our website runs on a linux server, can you not use it though

  • Ecco the dolphin@lemmy.mlEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    I had this problem with Pearson. I got around it by making sure my bowser (librewolf) reported windows as my user agent. This was last semester for an online intro level course, ymmv

    Edit: I see your other posts about how its not blocking access… Tbh I don’t remember checking, I just remember checking my browser settings haha. Guess I didn’t have to bother.

  • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Damn! If only we had some sort of technology that was OS independent and served as a way to view content and run code written for it without having to recompile for every platform.

    I am of course talking about web browsers. Which I’m betting this screenshot is from.

  • GreenKnight23@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    I had this problem over 10 years ago. change your user-agent, problem solved.

    they do it because they are regulations for educational software that must be met, like specific access requirements in order to be used in accredited courses.

    it’s not anything specifically against Linux, it’s that they can’t test and validate those access requirements for anything outside Windows due to organizational limitations.

    source: I worked for colleges early in my career that used Pearson then worked for a vendor that managed infrastructure and project management for Pearson. they aren’t unique, their competition is just as fucked as they are. most still use waterfall because upper mgmt is old and refuses to adapt.

    • cute_noker@feddit.dkEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      My bank does this too. I also just change the user agent to switch and it works with no issues.

      At this point it just seems silly that they even want to go out of their way to Prohibit Linux users

  • qwestjest78@lemmy.caEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    I had a course where the teacher basically said you would have a hard time passing if you did not have a windows laptop because it was the only OS that worked well with their program.

    The program was Excel workbooks

  • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.orgEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    “Our spyware is not able to accommodate your platform.”

    The horror stories I’ve read about what you give the software access to do (assuming there’s truth to them; I’ve never run it myself).

    Edit: I’m realizing now your screenshot is probably for a web course.

    • foggy@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      It’s hilarious how bad it is

      I won’t ramble but I’m a cybersecurity professional with a lot of certs and… I’ve played with it (Pearson VUE)

      Hey Pearson, I have completely defeated your anticheat measures. Ironically, have used my expertise to pass cybersecurity exams. Fight me.

      Hey OP, use a free windows VM. Guess how many monitors your VM has? Guess how many your host can have? Yeah.

      This was 2019, so they may have gotten past that but I tells ya… For folks testing cybersec pros, they sure don’t have airtight opsec.

      I found more, but cannot responsibly disclose 😊

  • Eggyhead@lemmings.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    Their deliberate word choice of “upgrade” to supported operating system is mildly infuriating.

        • Tiresia@slrpnk.netEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          The program has the information, but that doesn’t mean the people that wrote the code felt it was worth their time to make the “upgrade” text inclusive to Linux, if they even considered the possibility of Linux.

        • Victor@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          Right, but that could still be given dynamically by a library as “one of the unsupported ones”, getOSName(). They still might not have hard-coded “Linux is bad”.

  • lightnsfw@reddthat.comEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    What “Key features” from an educational course could possibly require windows? It’s spying on you.