Respected WebSites Error messages unethical - Tech Support Forums

NeoStarO1 · July 11th, 2002, 06:19 PM

Our local major paper has an online website as well as a section to view pictures of items for sale, for rent, ect... and often times with other web sites I am able to put in a partical search to bring up everything with the fields filled in.

First I left all fields blank in hope it would give me a listing of everything and it told me i needed an area code. So said okay and put in only an area code to hopes it would bring up results of all items within that area code only to get an error message telling me im a Nerd.

Im think what the heck? this is a respectable paper what are they doing putting in stuff like that. So I thought okay, I will put in just a prefix and hopefully get everything in that prefix area with the area code only for it to tell me im a bonehead.

Geezz, I am really suprised that a respecatble paper would have web designers on thier staff doing stuff like this. I can see its a joke however many people are not technicans that use these sites so I don't think its ethical to be programming these error message like that.

Wow

really shocked only because of the fact its a respectabl paper. I know i have said that enough.

Here is one pic.

NeoStarO1 · July 11th, 2002, 06:20 PM

Heres the second one.

jkrohn · July 11th, 2002, 06:25 PM

That really is classless for a respectable publication.

Are you sure that these are what the publication wants and not just what some, er..... shady webdesigner thinks is funny?

I would suggest sending someone other than the webmaster an email about this and how IMO, classes it is.

Jkrohn

**EvilRick** · July 11th, 2002, 06:31 PM

I must admit, respectablely of course, that it's still kind of funny.

I'd send that pic to the Chamber of Commerce of your community.

Mike · July 11th, 2002, 06:31 PM

Wow that is strange. Yes, I suggest you e-mail the webmaster and let them see that.

bigblue77 · July 11th, 2002, 06:41 PM

I also would sent a pic of that to the Chamber of Commerce, and one to the paper itself. I would most likely not send one to the webmaster since its probable that he/she is the one that set it up like that.

But, I must admit that it is funny, but also uncalled for.

Jer

NeoStarO1 · July 11th, 2002, 07:07 PM

I agree that its funny as well, Just was a bit shocked considering the source. Dunno about reporting that tho, Might wait to see how long it stays up like that.

NeoStarO1 · July 11th, 2002, 07:33 PM

Alright, well I tried sumbiting the contact us form with questions or comments and it didn't work, said some fields required to be filled and they were all filled. Geezzz.

Anyhow it did give another couple of address to email so I emailed the editor of the paper seeing how most likely he is not doing the programming.

See what happens now.

Dokeman · July 11th, 2002, 07:34 PM

lol..i think its kinda funny.

NeoStarO1 · July 11th, 2002, 07:38 PM

we as techinicans can see the humor in it. as we all have at one time or another played our little pranks on our coworkers at one time or another. Thus we can see the humur here.

However............

I can just see my mother or father going to the site, being computer illiterate as they are and inadvertaly filling out two fields rather than all feild and get a popup box saying bonehead, I dread to think how my folks would react.

Not good for the public image of the paper as everyone will not see the humur.