HDI Railing Systems require registration to see specifications. Click on “CSI Specs”, and a registration form appears; click cancel, and you get this:
Authorization Required
This server could not verify that you are authorized to access the document requested. Either you supplied the wrong credentials (e.g., bad password), or your browser doesn’t understand how to supply the credentials required.
Any others anyone cares to name?
I recall a major elevator manufacturer who, in addition to your registration information, also required all of the performance requirements (number of floors served, travel distance, machine type, and on, and o,n and on) before you could open the spec document.
When I find these requirements I find it nice to send them an email saying you passed on them because of the registration requirement and instead have specified X, Y and Z companies.
Typically, I do send a similar email, but in this case, I have no choice…
Thus, the “Wall of Shame”
Care to actually name that elevator manufacturer?
That was the big O.
That was some time ago, but I just went back to their website, and the first page of questions you still need to answer before you can see a specification asks for:
Building Name
City
State
Contact Name
Phone
E-mail
There are many pages after that first one.
As we discussed on another thread, feel free to register using the following updated version:
Username: Username101 (‘Username’ has already been used on a number of websites)
Password: Password101 (some of these folks require a capital letter and at least one number)
Name: Me I Myself
Address: 1601 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20501
Phone: 800-555-1212
email address: birdcrazy411@gmail.com (some are also requiring an email address to send confirmations. In some cases, the user name is the email address).
Note: The password I set up for birdcrazy411@gmail.com on www.gmail.com is also Password101 in case you have to acknowledge receipt of an authorizing email from the manufacturer.
Ken, you’re devious. I like it!
I tried that, and it still wouldn’t allow me to get the specifications. So I used “contact us” and told them what I think of their website.
My philosophy is not to specify them, if I can help it and to tell them so.
I’ve been telling a lot of my reps that if I have to register to access their website, I’m not going to specify them. I think they get a lot of that from the spec writers.
Maybe one of these days their marketing departments will get the idea, if they’re still in business.
I got into it with a roofing mfgr. who gave me a very difficult time, and when they finally agreed to put it on a CD, I still needed a password to open it. then the rep got upset because I wouldn’t put his contact info in the spec. - Duh!
I don’t specify those guys any more.
I’m going to Construct in September and I plan on bringing this up with every rep I speak with.
Great idea, Richard. Maybe if we all did the same…
Maybe we can generate an article in The Specifier, signed by several dozen spec writers from around the country, announcing our boycott of obtuse manufacturers who require that we jump through hoops just to be able to specify their products.
I like the idea of maintaing a list of the offenders.
Maybe we should talk with the SectionFormat Task Team about including an Article for banned manufacturers.
Here’s part of the response I received:
My apologies, however, since HDI posts AutoCAD details and catalog sections on our site, and our designs are proprietary, we find it necessary to block users such as miscellaneous metals fabricators. Below is the login information for our web site www.hdirailings.com:
User name excellent
Password design
Both lower case letters.
Of course, when I downloaded the spec section, I could see that it is written in ersatz CSI/CSC format - sort of a blend but with incorrect outline format thrown in for good measure. I suggested they hire a spec writer to improve their specs.
Lynn - Yes - I think we need to get the message out to the manufacturers that they need to make their websites more accessible.
They could put the details in as pdf’s, which I prefer since I don’t have CAD on my computer.
Also, in reality, anyone can log on under an assumed idendity and get to the information, so what’s the point of registering?
“…anyone can log on under an assumed identity…” - that’s pretty much what I told them.
I often find that clicking on an empty password box three times gets me in.
or click your heels together three times . . . .
but only if you’re wearing ruby slippers (but not in Mexico) and have defeated the wicked witch and the flying monkeys and have your little dog firmly under your arm…
okay, I give. Why not in Mexico.
When my high-schoolers were preparing to take their Spanish class trip to Mexico, the teacher told the girls to not bring red shoes along because prostitutes in Mexico City wore red shoes.
Gee, doesn’t a “pint of blood” or a “right arm” work any more?
Ah, come on guys. As speaking as a rep of sorts (trade association) we (a very broad “we”) want to find out who might be contemplating the use of our products. While it is true that if the rep is good, he/she has been out among the specifiers finding this out on their own, but this is one more way to finding jobs to work on. I suppose it is a lazier way of getting contacts, but just another way of gathering the all important data.