Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 15:34:41 -0400 From: Emma Subject: Lacroix vs. Web based E-mail (01/01) To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Disclaimers: FK and its characters belong to someone else, which is good since I don't want Lacroix. The name of certain companies have been changed to protect the innocent. (Me. I don't want to be sued.) This story is dedicated to everyone who helped me in dealing with various aspects of my hotmail account. (Unfortuantly, I forgot to save the e-mail, or I'd thank you all by name.) All comments on this, and all previous stories, should go to egl@operamail.com . If you sent comments to my old account recently, I probably haven't seen them. Permission to archive on fkfanfic.com and the FTP site. Title: Lacroix vs. Web based E-mail (01/01) by Emma Lighton Lacroix sat back with a satisfied look, as he closed the mail program on his main account. It was so rewarding to find a new medium with which to spread his accumulated knowledge, and personal world view. He'd thought his listeners had been entertaining on the phone, but give them anonymity of the internet and they were even more so. They were also rather numerous, and finally he had been forced to switch his mailing lists to web based accounts. Lacroix shrugged to himself as he activated lynx. It didn't matter really since those were also numerous. He activated the link to hatmoil from his bookmarks file, then typed in his user name and password. "Accept cookie from hatmoil.com? (Y)es, (N)o, (A)lways, Ne(V)er?" With a slightly irritated gesture, Lacroix hit "V". He sat back with a sneer. He saw no reason to tell them where he was logging in from. "Login Failed -- Reason: Your browser does not accept cookies." Lacroix fixed the screen with a withering glance, and hit "Q". He started Lynx again, and hit "A" when it reached the cookies question. "Login Failed -- Reason: Your browser does not accept cookies." "WHAT!" Lacroix's hands curled into fists. Taking a deep breath, he slowly relaxed. It was simply to much of a nuisance to keep replacing his computer every time he lost his temper. He looked back at the screen and carefully read the rest of the message. "For a cookie free login, click here." Smiling in triumph, Lacroix maneuvered the cursor down the screen and hit return. He typed in his name and password once more and sat back. "Accept cookie from hatmoil.com? (Y)es, (N)o, (A)lways, Ne(V)er?" He stared at this thoughtfully for a moment, then hit "A". "Login Failed -- Reason: Your browser does not accept cookies." Lacroix felt his eyes begin to glow, and his fangs extend. This was unacceptable. Quitting lynx once more, he turned on his mail program. He had gotten as far as typing in "support@hatmoil.com", when he recalled how long it had taken them to send an automated message the last time he'd had a problem with his account. The service department, along with the rest of the system, seemed to have gone down the tubes recently. In fact, he realized with a frown, this had all started when they'd been bought by Macrosoft. It was time to deal with this problem more directly, Lacroix decided, as he reached for the phone. * * * * * Finding the actual street address, had been incredibly simple, Lacroix mused as he touched down next to the building. Hopefully the rest of his visit was as simple, or at least entertaining. He opened the side door of the nondescript structure, and stepped inside. The hallway he found himself in was dark, as were the surrounding rooms. Focusing on his hearing, Lacroix quickly picked up the tell tail hum of a running computer. Following it to its source, he found himself in a room full of large computers and one pimply, twenty-something mortal, who was currently immersed in the music blaring out of a pair of headphones and devouring a pizza. Lacroix stood behind, the boy and cleared his throat. There was no reaction other than to shift his feet slightly on the table top. Lacroix reached out a hand and snatched the headphones off. The man jerked in surprise, and his delicate balance was upset, sending him tumbling to the floor. Rubbing his head, he looked up at Lacroix in surprise. "How'd you get in here? Who are you?" Lacroix fixed him with a withering glare. "I got in through the door. As for who I am, I am a customer of your miserable excuse for a system, and I would like to file a complaint." "Oh." He shifted uncomfortably. "Well in that case you want to send a mail to support..." "The last time I did that, it took them three weeks to send an automated reply. I am here now and I want the problem solved before I leave." "I'll...I'll try my best...sir." Lacroix nodded, and stepped back allowing the man to rise. "What's the problem?" "I am unable to access my account." "Um, okay. Do you remember the exact error message?" "It informed me that it needed to be able to accept cookies." The man sighed in relief. "Well, in that case you reconfigure your browser to accept cookies." "It was set to accept cookies." Lacroix growled. "Oh. In that case...um...well, perhaps you'd better try logging in and letting me have a look." He started to head for a nearby computer terminal. "No need, I brought my own." Lacroix set up his laptop with a small flourish. He logged in quickly, his fingers moving too quickly to be followed. When he reached the cookie question, he stood back and allowed the man to look. "I'm not familiar with this browser, what is it?" He stared at the screen in horrified fascination. "Lynx." The man still looked confused. "It's a text browser." "I don't think we support that browser. You'll have to get a new one." Lacroix leaned forward, his eyes just beginning to glow. "I don't want a new one, I like that one!" "Why...why don't you let me show you what it's supposed to look like. Maybe you'll change your mind." He quickly backed away and turned on his computer. After a few minutes, punctuated with nervous glances thrown over his shoulder, he managed to log onto he system. "See how much nicer it looks with all the graphics." Lacroix's eyes narrowed. "It is e-mail. That is a TEXT medium. It does not require graphics. So why precisely, are you unable to support a simple text browser." The man swallowed hard. "I don't know." "You do know how to program, don't you?" The man nodded. "Good. Before I leave here," Lacroix paused to capture the man's terrified gaze. "I want this program, to support my browser." "I'll get right on it." The man announced in a slightly dazed voice. Lacroix leant back with a satisfied smile, as he watched the man get to work. The End --- Emma (egl@operamail.com) Vaquera * T+VPack * DP * War 9 Vet. http://members.tripod.com/lostshadows/main.html