License Agreement, Required to Scroll

[bluemanafox]

Hey all,

A friend of mine is trying to get his programming team to setup a
License Agreement, where before the I Accept check box becomes active,
the user must scroll to the bottom of the agreement. We have all seen
this type of license agreement before in programs and on the web, but I
simply do not know how to create this type of code. To make matters
work, his programming team is telling him its NOT POSSIBLE, which we
all know it is. Whether its in JavaScript, HTML, ASP it doesnt matter,
but does anybody have a link to where I can find the code for this?

 

[Travis Newbury]

A friend of mine is trying to get his programming team to setup a
License Agreement, where before the I Accept check box becomes active,
the user must scroll to the bottom of the agreement. We have all seen
this type of license agreement before in programs and on the web, but I
simply do not know how to create this type of code. To make matters
work, his programming team is telling him its NOT POSSIBLE, which we
all know it is.

Not much of a "programming team"....

Whether its in JavaScript, HTML, ASP it doesnt matter,
but does anybody have a link to where I can find the code for this?

To get the code, just find a place that does it, and copy their code.
I seem to recall the adobe site had this in it.

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

It would be a server-side language, such as the ASP you mention, or PHP,
Perl, etc.

To get the code, just find a place that does it, and copy their code.
I seem to recall the adobe site had this in it.

Not likely that you could copy any server-side code, Travis. And
client-side JavaScript wouldn't work, as some percentage of folks have
that disabled. Nor would it be very secure, if the acceptance is
absolutely required.

 

[David Dorward]

A friend of mine is trying to get his programming team to setup a
License Agreement, where before the I Accept check box becomes active,
the user must scroll to the bottom of the agreement. We have all seen
this type of license agreement before in programs and on the web, but I
simply do not know how to create this type of code. To make matters
work, his programming team is telling him its NOT POSSIBLE, which we
all know it is. Whether its in JavaScript, HTML, ASP it doesnt matter,
but does anybody have a link to where I can find the code for this?

Someone in my department was looking in to this and had great fun running
into browser inconsistances. Eventually I think we went for the sensible
option (i.e. not cramming the license into a tiny box, and then putting the
accept link after the text - so they have to scroll to bring the link into
view).

 

[Matt Clara]

Hey all,

A friend of mine is trying to get his programming team to setup a
License Agreement, where before the I Accept check box becomes active,
the user must scroll to the bottom of the agreement. We have all seen
this type of license agreement before in programs and on the web, but I
simply do not know how to create this type of code. To make matters
work, his programming team is telling him its NOT POSSIBLE, which we
all know it is. Whether its in JavaScript, HTML, ASP it doesnt matter,
but does anybody have a link to where I can find the code for this?

Why not put the button on the bottom of the scrolling part? Then you can't
get to the button without scrolling to the bottom of the page.

 

[bluemanafox]

Well thank you much guys for your post, my friend will be reading this
later and I am sure all of your advice will help him out a ton!

 

[Travis Newbury]

It would be a server-side language, such as the ASP you mention, or PHP,
Perl, etc.
Not likely that you could copy any server-side code, Travis. And
client-side JavaScript wouldn't work, as some percentage of folks have
that disabled...

The OP stated that a javascript solution was an option. So while you
are right that some people may have it turned off, the OP did not see
that as an isuue. And if Adobe uses javascript to do it, then he can
copy it.

Nor would it be very secure, if the acceptance is
absolutely required.

I must have missed the "absolutly required" line in the OP's post. I
did read the part that said "Whether its in JavaScript, HTML, ASP it
doesnt matter"

 

[Jose]

(i.e. not cramming the license into a tiny box

I thought the purpose of that was to make it difficult to read, and
encourage people to skip all that mumbo jumbo and just sign.

Jose

 

[David Dorward]

I thought the purpose of that was to make it difficult to read, and
encourage people to skip all that mumbo jumbo and just sign.

Indeed ... which makes it counter productive to force them to scroll through
it before accepting it.

 

[Jose]

I thought the purpose of that was to make it difficult to read, and

Indeed ... which makes it counter productive to force them to scroll through
it before accepting it.

No, it provides a plausible way of saying "even though we made it hard
to read, you did read and sign it"... even if all you did was scroll to
the bottom and fume.

Jose

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

The OP stated that a javascript solution was an option. So while you
are right that some people may have it turned off, the OP did not see
that as an isuue.

Perhaps the OP does not know that JavaScript can be disabled. His

And if Adobe uses javascript to do it, then he can copy it.

Adobe's web site? Haven't been there in years.

I must have missed the "absolutly required" line in the OP's post.

No, you missed my "*if* the acceptance is absolutely required." If

I did read the part that said "Whether its in JavaScript, HTML, ASP it
doesnt matter"

Since we can't assume the skills of the OP, I didn't see that statement
(list of languages) as really important.

 

[Dan]

It would be a server-side language, such as the ASP you mention, or PHP,
Perl, etc.

Eh? I don't see how this COULD be achieved with anything server-side?
How are you feeding the information about how far you've scrolled back
to the server? How are you getting the response? Makes no sense to be
at all - i'd be really interested to see the code if it can be done on
the server.

Not likely that you could copy any server-side code, Travis. And
client-side JavaScript wouldn't work, as some percentage of folks have
that disabled. Nor would it be very secure, if the acceptance is
absolutely required.

What? Fair enough javascript is turned off in most browsers, but i
don't understand the second point at all (I must confess that i've had
a glass of wine!). If the acceptance is required, and someone decides
to find a way around that doesn't involved clicking the button (say
reading the code and figuring out the destination), then they must be
in breach of the agreement (regardless of their having clicked the
button). If not, then you need to WRITE A BETTER AGREEMENT! And in any
event. If it needs to fit in a nice little space on the page, just
stick it in a scrolling DIV with the acceptance button at the bottom.

Just my 3.45 cents.

Dan

 

[Jim Higson]

It would be a server-side language, such as the ASP you mention, or PHP,
Perl, etc.

I would say it has to be in a client-side language since once the page has
loaded the server cannot enable/disable buttons etc, and there is no form
element that sends the position of sliders to the server.

How are you thinking a server-side script could control this?

Not likely that you could copy any server-side code, Travis. And
client-side JavaScript wouldn't work, as some percentage of folks have
that disabled. Nor would it be very secure, if the acceptance is
absolutely required.

I don't think there is any way to make absolutely sure, for example I could
be in an internet cafe and just call over a stranger and say "hey, click
this for me!" and then use the site. I wouldn't have clicked that I agreed.

Besides, is there any reason to think a court would uphold a EULA only if
you can prove the user scrolled down the page text?

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

Dan wrote:

[Beauregard wrote:]

Eh? I don't see how this COULD be achieved with anything server-side?

How else could you guarantee that an accept button was clicked?

How are you feeding the information about how far you've scrolled back
to the server?

The amount of scrolling is not important. The button to Accept (Submit)
should be after the notice about it. Then the server makes sure this
Submit button was what activated the form.

How are you getting the response?

Form submit.

Since this all will be done with a <form>, no separate 'Accept' button
is necessary. The form contains content stating that 'Submitting' this
form is acceptance of the terms.

Makes no sense to be at all - i'd be really interested to see the code
if it can be done on the server.

You would write the code similar to any other log in type script.

What? Fair enough javascript is turned off in most browsers, but i
don't understand the second point at all (I must confess that i've had
a glass of wine!). If the acceptance is required, and someone decides

Not sure why you might think JavaScript is best for this scenario.

to find a way around that doesn't involved clicking the button (say
reading the code and figuring out the destination), then they must be
in breach of the agreement (regardless of their having clicked the
button).

...which is why the server-side code makes sure that the Submit/Accept
button was clicked. Easy-peasy.

If not, then you need to WRITE A BETTER AGREEMENT! And in any
event. If it needs to fit in a nice little space on the page, just
stick it in a scrolling DIV with the acceptance button at the bottom.

Might work ... but again, the design will depend on exactly how
important the acceptance is. We don't know that.

 

[Jonathan N. Little]

Why not put the button on the bottom of the scrolling part? Then you can't
get to the button without scrolling to the bottom of the page.

This is probably the most effect solution...not dependent on scripting,
and simple! Doesn't guarantee that user actually read agreement, but no
solution could.

 

[Travis Newbury]

This is probably the most effect solution...not dependent on scripting,
and simple! Doesn't guarantee that user actually read agreement, but no
solution could.

Well you could quiz them on the agreement.....

 

[Jonathan N. Little]

Well you could quiz them on the agreement.....

.... blah blah blah blah blah.

[Agree*] [Disagree]

*there will be a test!