Friday 6 June 2008

Oracle Javascript

Finally got to the bottom of the problems with oracle_smp_chronos.js turns out its worse than I thought. The script just can't cope with links calling a forms onsubmit method on Mozilla based browsers (actually there is about three different defects here, only the first was initially visible). The odd thing is that the code they've written for MSIE works flawlessly on every version of Mozilla / Firefox I've tested - although I haven't gone back to Navigator version 4. The solution seems quite simple - just change the browser identification code so it runs the same code for Mozilla 5+ and Firefox 1+ as it does for MSIE.

Blackberry blues

Work has decided I need a Blackberry. So after a mere two months procurement process an 8800 appeared. It took me about 3 hours to find the first bug in the software (browser does not accept a cookie suplied in a HTTP 302 response) still I was trying to look on the bright side. Having previously worked for a company selling ringtones, I thought it would be a good idea to add something a bit out of the ordinary. But having previously worked in the industry, the last thing I would do is actually buy one from one of the many suppliers! Fate helped things along when I saw bluetooth USB dongles in my local Tesco for £7. It wasn't long before I had it plugged into my computer and the relevant software up and running. Unfortunately, although I could get the devies to pair, the only service I could get working was kbluelock - the Obex push client just couldn't see the device.

A bit of research suggested that this is a common problem - Blackberries won't talk to the BlueZ stack.

Ho hum.

Meanwhile, having built a test rig and demonstrated the browser problem, I tried reporting the fault to Vodafone. They've written back asking for lots and LOTS of information none of which relates to the bug. I spent less time re-writing the web application I was trying to access then I have trying to satisfy the requests from the support department - who don't seem to understand how their own software works.