[EDITED 28-Nov-2003 @ 1:05 PM: I posted an update earlier claiming that the site had been fixed, as it momentarily worked for me and several others as of midnight last night. Apparently this was only a temporary change; it seems that the site is now back to blocking all browsers but MSIE/Win! Thanks to several people for pointing this out.]

[EDITED 30-Nov-2003: It didn’t work in IE/Mac before, but apparently they’ve fixed that particular problem; the site also works with a Safari user-agent header. Still… are there any Mozilla or Netscape 6+ users at Cox’s support department?]

Accessing http://usercenter.cox.net/ in anything besides Internet Explorer for Windows, as of the time I wrote this post, produces the error shown in this screenshot, which states that the site is only accessible via Internet Explorer for Windows.

Now, my question: What were they THINKING? This is bad. REALLY bad.

I mean, come on. I can understand possibly limiting particular advanced support options so that they can only be accessed by evil security-hole-ridden browsers, but I literally can’t access ANY part of Cox’s support site; it keeps throwing an error in my face, even if I spoof an IE user-agent header.

The site contains the instructions and server names necessary to set up FTP and mail clients, and even gives specific tutorials for setting up popular applications for the Mac. Unfortunately, Mac users will have to borrow a friend’s Windows machine to read the instructions.

This is also the only way to add new e-mail addresses and additional web space to an account. No IE? No luck.

Oh, also, as far as I know, this site is the only way that one can read the latest revisions to Cox’s acceptable use policy. I wonder what will happen if some Mac or Linux user ends up violating the AUP and then calls Cox to complain; after all, how is one supposed to know one’s violating the policy if one can’t read it?

I’ve sent an e-mail to Cox explaining all these problems. I await either a reply or a more accessible support site…