From: W. Trevor King Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:57:00 +0000 (+0000) Subject: Importing NanoBlogger post "User agent spoofing and ebrary" X-Git-Url: http://git.tremily.us/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=211650bdbe04cadaf1a5402a6008ebb395d5d078;p=mw2txt.git Importing NanoBlogger post "User agent spoofing and ebrary" --- diff --git a/posts/User_agent_spoofing_and_ebrary.mdwn b/posts/User_agent_spoofing_and_ebrary.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b61aef0 --- /dev/null +++ b/posts/User_agent_spoofing_and_ebrary.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,35 @@ +[[!meta title="User agent spoofing and ebrary"]] +[[!meta date="2008-06-30 13:57:00"]] +While trying to read an e-book from Drexel's library, I got: + +"We have detected that you are attempting to access this book from a Linux-based browser, which is not yet supported by the ebrary Reader." + +I was using Firefox, so I can't imagine I'm not actually supported. +I read up on spoofing user agents, and there are +[one-off instructions](http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2004/04/24/changinguseragent.html), +[a Firefox addon](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/59), +and a [list of idiotic websites](http://webtips.dan.info/brand-x/useragent.htm). + +The one-off method (a la John Bokma, link above): + + * `about:` in address bar to get the current user agent string. +In my case `Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.8.1.9) Gecko/2007102514 Firefox/2.0.0.9` + * `about:config` in the address bar + * right click on the window background and select `New->String` + * name the new string `general.useragent.override` + * impersonate Firefox on a Mac with `Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X Mach-O; en-US; rv:1.8.0.4) Gecko/20060508 Firefox/1.5.0.4` (from David Atkins on [Zytrax](http://www.zytrax.com/tech/web/firefox-history.html)) + * delete your override string when you're done + +Hrm, while the spoofing worked, now I get: +`Download/Install ebrary Reader™ Plug-in for Macintosh`. +On to learn about [ebrary](http://www.ebrary.com/corp/), a browser for my browser. +Able to do all the things my current browser can't, like view images. +You'd think they could at least link PDFs for those on less popular OSes. +Ah I suppose they are worried about people stealing the copyrighted material. +Sigh. + +There is also a [wine hack](http://commandline.org.uk/linux/2006/mar/5/using-the-ebrary-reader-on-linux/) to get things working in the short term. +One of the comments points out that the wine info is now up [at ebrary](http://www.ebrary.com/kb/users/linux_under_wine.jsp). +Users of non-`apt` distros certainly "can try" to install using their directions, sigh. + +[[!tag linux]]