Copyright Office to go IE only

The Copyright Office wants to implement an IE only pre-registration system (via Slashdot). From the original notice:

it is not entirely clear whether the system will be compatible with web browsers other than Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.1 and higher. Filers of preregistration applications will be able to employ these Internet Explorer browsers successfully. Support for Netscape 7.2, Firefox 1.0.3, and Mozilla 1.7.7 is planned but will not be available when preregistration goes into effect. Present users of these browsers may experience problems when filing claims.

This of course means that support for Netscape, FF and Moz might never be implemented. Let's face it - when was the last time you saw anything being implemented when there was no set deadlines?

All I can say to this is - Section 508. As far as I know, federal websites cannot (or at least should not) publish websites that are inaccessible to blind or sight impaired people. And since such accessibility is best achieved by adhering to w3c standards, making IE only website should not be very legal. And if it is ok for Copyright office to make a half assed website, then why do we even have that section 508.

Come on people! Is it really that hard to use this?

Tags: copyright office, ie, copyright office and id, copyright pre-registratio, ie only