AOL 9.0 Browser Error: 566 Response HTTP Version Unsupported

How to detect the AOL browser to warn users?

[MovingOnUp]

A couple months ago, I asked about AOL 9.0 Browser Error: 566 Response HTTP Version Unsupported [webmasterworld.com], but that thread is now closed.

I continue to get several complaints every week about this, and I know countless others just give up without placing an order.

I run an affiliate site, so I'm not able to do any server-side changes to fix the problem (although it would be nice if someone could share how/if it can be fixed from the server side for anyone who might be interested).

What I plan on doing instead is some cloaking to intercept any shoppers with the AOL browser and let them know about the problem, suggesting that they minimize AOL and open up IE, Mozilla, or any other browser.

Here's my first question: Can I tell that they're using the AOL browser from the USER_AGENT field? It looks like it. They contain "AOL 9.0; " and/or other versions. AOL doesn't change the IE user agent too, does it?

Second question: Are there any AOL versions that aren't affected? I could easily exclude versions that are known to be working.

Third question: Are any other services affected? For instance, CompuServe ("CS 2000; " or "CS 2000 6.0; " in USER_AGENT), Wal-Mart Connect, etc.

[zollerwagner]

If you check your page using AOL, and then look in your log files (I usually use CPanel's "Last 300 visitors", or whatever it is called), you'll be able to see whether the AOL browswer leaves a distinctive track.

[tedster]

The Compuserve browser is a different thing from AOL's version of IE - CS is based on Mozilla/Gecko - so I don't imagine it is plagued by this same error.

[MovingOnUp]

I got a report of the error from a user with the Walmart Connect browser. It looks like they're affected, too.

[MovingOnUp]

From the referrer, it seems that the Wal-Mart Connect browser is based on the Compuserve browser:

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; CS 2000 6.0; Wal-Mart Connect 6.0; Windows 98)