Re: LYNX-DEV more about wells fargo, schwab

[Matt Ackeret]

On Thu, 12 Mar 1998, Nelson Henry Eric wrote:
>> >> >some sites (eg Schwab, Wells Fargo) which check for 128-bit browser
>> >                          |||||||||||
>> >Are you absolutely sure they are checking the agent string?  In the past,
>
>I confirmed that they ARE checking the agent string.  The reasons why
>they are doing this I explained in my previous message.  I might add that
>it boils down in the final run to "who do you sue" when the security
>fails.  Netscape and MS carry HUGE liability insurance.  Lynx?

Umm..  Then it seems to me that it would be useful to tell Wells Fargo
that they *aren't* actually promoting security.

In other words, if I can phony up my agent string, and log into Wells Fargo
with Lynx.. then it seems to be showing to me that Wells Fargo *isn't* actually
promoting security as much as they say they are.

In other words, they should *actually* check the security level of the 
browser.  Even if *telling* them gets Lynx to somehow be "actively disallowed",
it would seem to be better in the overall security issue.

Ugh, I can't word that very well..  What I mean is that at the moment it seems
that they are basically *lieing* about the security requirements.

Sort of like what I have heard third-hand about something involved with
Windows (possibly Windows95?)..  If you mess up the password 3 times in a row,
it lets you CHANGE the password?  That is *WORSE* than no security, since it
implies there is security but there really is none.  (Note, I'm not bashing
Windows/Microsoft as an entity in general -- even though I work for Apple.
I think you've *got* to admire someone worth $18 billion.)

>> *BUT WHAT DO I CHANGE IT TO*?
>My conscience will not allow me to encourage you, but simply search
>the lynx-dev archives for "agent string".  TZ has it down to state-of-

ARGH.  Sorry this is just starting to tick me off..  You're unwilling to
engage in the free flow of information?  Now I've got to find the lynx-dev
archives.

Would a patch allowing the User-Agent string to be a "cycle through the
given values" be accepted?  Such as letting the user easily switch to
Netscape?