NZMac.com - Supporting the New Zealand Mac community

If you want to know what the Mac Friendly section is all about, check out this page. You can also add provide information about your experiences by completing this form.

I'm not completely clear about the services that Landonline provide. However what is clear is that it is a Government website and that what is required to be carried out on the site is important to some people...particularly those who have taken the time to send in information. What is also clear is that their support page shows complete duplicity in supposed commitment to offering support and testing on a wide range of operating systems...to then informing us of the huge number of OS's their site does not work with and telling us that they won't provide any support in these instances. Landonline might feel embarrassed about entering our Mac Hall of Shame, but I feel more sorry for those that have to keep company with them in that category!

Rating - Hall of Shame

Let's first understand a little of what Landonline is about, as described on this page...

"Landonline provides land professionals with secure access to New Zealand's only authoritative titles register and digital cadastre maintained by LINZ. The functionally smart system enables registered users to conduct secure electronic title and survey transactions in real time, automating and speeding up traditional (and sometimes prolonged and complex) manual processes. Landonline is not designed for public access or use, though visitors to public counters may use its e-search functions. Its survey and title lodgement and registration functions can only be accessed by authenticated, registered users, ensuring the integrity of the titles register and digital cadastre is maintained at all times."

So whilst not designed for public access, there is obviously a group of users that need to make use of the site. One of our users points out the following...

"eDealing online settlements is Windows only. This means that solicitors offices will require at least one PC in their office."

And indeed the user is correct, as pointed out on this technical page...but let's take a good look at that page. It starts with the really nice comment...

"LINZ is committed to providing you with technical support so you can access and use Landonline."

That's really nice of them, don't you think? I'm amazed...I'm not even onto reading about what I need to do to use to work with this part of their site, but I feel safe and comfortable in the fact that...

"LINZ is committed to providing you with technical support so you can access and use Landonline."

OK...but I'm on a Mac. Do you really mean it?

"The operating system and web browser on your PC system can affect your ability to run the software needed for Landonline. The older your system is, the more problems you are likely to encounter. LINZ's ability to assist you in overcoming these problems is defined by the system that you operate.

The latest version of Landonline is tested against the most widely used operating systems and browsers at the time of each release for compatibility. There are regular reviews of these supported operating systems and browsers."

Wow...I'm embarrassed to say I'm blushing. I've never felt so confident that someone's here to help me even though I'm not sure you're committed to helping me..after all, you just said...

"LINZ's ability to assist you in overcoming these problems is defined by the system that you operate."

I'm a bit uneasy there...after all, you said earlier....

"LINZ is committed to providing you with technical support so you can access and use Landonline."

You guys seem really on the ball...constantly testing and reassuring me. How confident can I be that you are so committed?

"In principle, LINZ endeavours to:

• provide technical support for the current version of those operating systems and web browsers it supports and the version immediately preceding it
• advise you in advance when support for a version is being terminated (i.e. moving from 'supported' to 'not supported')

Hmm...I think you're still committed right? Although you seem to have changed your tune a bit. Let's just cut to the chase huh? How Mac friendly are you?

Supported - The current operating systems and web browser that LINZ supports are:

• Operating System: Windows 2000/Pro Professional and Windows XP/Pro Professional
• Browser: Internet Explorer 7

Wait...what? Where's the Mac stuff or advice at least? I'm not panicking yet. As I know....you said...you'd provide support. So what about if we choose something other than the Operating systems or browsers that you mention?

"If you choose any other operating system and browser than those listed above as supported, you will need to rely on your inhouse IT support to help you with any technical issues."

Oh..I get it. It's a governmental use of the term "committed" is it? Meaning we'll bandy the word about but god forbid if you actually take us up on the offer. After all, after you say...

"LINZ is committed to providing you with technical support..."

...you now say ....

"...you will need to rely on your inhouse IT support"

Not Supported

Operating System: Windows 98, Windows XP Home and Millenium Edition, Windows 95, Linux Distributions and Mac

Browser: Internet Explorer 5.5, Internet Explorer 5 or earlier versions and Mozilla

Is there anything less than the 'Hall of Shame' on this site? Maybe we should have the 'Hall of Why Did You Even Bother'?!

This is the most appalling example of governmental business speak tied into a support page that I have ever seen. What staggers me is that I haven't even tried to test the site...the support page is enough. And look how many operating systems and browsers are not supported! What's worse...after opening with a line committing themselves to providing support, they basically tell you you are on your own later on the page. In the middle of that, details of how they'll assist you and how they test on the widest range of operating systems. If the technical support people are reading this...ignoring what doesn't work on your site....you should be ashamed for the way in which this page is written!

When the answers to "does it work" on all the operating systems you test is 'No, No, No, No and oh, we lied, we're not actually going to help support you'...Landonline not only deserve to be in the Hall of Shame...they deserve to be praised for the most bogus and gibberish technical statements and commitments that I have ever read!