Wow! Can this really be legitimate?

This either a brilliant idea or a disaster waiting to happen

[bbd2000]

I was just reading the FOO thread [webmasterworld.com...] and came across a very interesting article about a website that is giving away a script that you place on your website. It identifies MS IE users and sends them to a page promoting FireFox with a big AdSense Affiliate Button. There is a link at the bottom that will allow you to continue to the targeted website, but after the warning I don’t think I would proceed…

The page that appears has the following text:

----------------

We see you're using Internet Explorer, which is not compatible with this site. We strongly suggest downloading Firefox. We think you'll like it better:
• Firefox blocks pop-up windows.
• It's more secure against viruses and spyware.
• It keeps Microsoft from controlling the future of the internet.
• It's better for web designers and developers.
• Features like tabbed browsing make reading webpages easier.

Click the button on the right to download Firefox. It's free.

--------------

I don’t mean to promote or discredit any website here but this either a brilliant idea or a disaster waiting to happen. Any ideas about the legality of such an operation?

[Zygoot]

I guess there are no problems with the legality but IMO sites who use this technique to generate a bit more money are very unprofessional and pathetic.

[robsynnott]

Rude, most users will leave, and certainly against the spirit if not the letter of the rules.

[encyclo]

You mean show just the AdSense ad instead of the site content (possible AdSense TOS violation) and ask the visitor who can in from a search about widgets to download a 12Mb program that they don't understand because they don't know what a browser is, just so they can read an article? Even the web-savvy who know what Firefox is are not going to be impressed by such tactics: 99.9% will just click "Back" and try somewhere else. Crazy, terrible idea.

"This website requires X" is a terrible way to run a site - as a webmaster you need to make your site work for the browser choices of your visitors, whatever that might be.

[thegreatpretender]

It's been years I'm hearing about Firefox as a better alternative to ie, but just switched to it recently. I found it nice and recommended it to friends and officemates but non of them downloaded it yet.

[bbd2000]

This falls under the Referral portion of Adsense. I think the rules are a little less restrictive. The site actually offers three scripts. The first one recommends FireFox, the second one is a little pushier and the third one is the strongest and restricts IE.

The more I think about it the less sense it makes. I agree with Encyclo that most people will back away. Maybe, if I had a site I was willing to trash (one that is pending a major redesign or one that I recently bought and am going to gut) I would use this as a last chance to make a quick buck. But I would be embarrassed to put this on my established sites…

[ann]

bbd2000,

Using it to make a quick buck could also lose you your account and all the bucks already due you.