May 8, 2008 3:14 PM PDT

San Mateo County levies a serious punishment for traffic violations: Internet Explorer

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Today I received word that Microsoft owns a small piece of the California government.

I, um, rolled to a near-stop on a right turn at a red light and Mr. Traffic Camera sent me a ticket. Spoiled my day.

Even worse, however, was when I went online to try to pay the ticket. I have to use Internet Explorer to do business with San Mateo County, apparently. What a complete joke.

Use Linux? Mac OS X? Or even Firefox on Windows? Sorry.

This sort of rubbish web design speaks ill of San Mateo County. I may be forced to stop getting tickets there. I'm taking my criminal activity elsewhere. No more cruel and unusual punishment for me.

Matt Asay brings a decade of in-the-trenches open-source business and legal experience to The Open Road, with an emphasis on emerging open-source business strategies and opportunities. Matt is vice president of business development at Alfresco, a company that develops open-source software for content management. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mjasay.

Topics:: Microsoft,; Odds and Ends

Tags:: Microsoft,; Internet Explorer

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About The Open Road

Matt Asay brings a decade of in-the-trenches open-source business and legal experience to the Open Road, with an emphasis on emerging open-source business strategies and opportunities. Matt is general manager of the Americas division and vice president of business development at Alfresco, a company that develops open-source software for content management. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.

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