How do I detect AOL, Netcaptor browsers?

[Anon]

I would like to detect aol and netcaptor browsers as well as browsers using webwasher in order to block them from entering my website using php or some other language. at the moment I am using javascript, but AOL gets through, although Opera, e.g. is prevented from entering. seems javascript detection is not perfect, as far as aol is concerned. if you know how to detect and redirect users using the things mentioned above, please post a reply

[Anon]

In the past I have used the $HTTP_USER_AGENT variable, it is a standard PHP variable and can be called at any time. It's value will be the visitor's browser information, for example:

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0)

You can do a simple search within the variable to check for "AOL" or lack of "MSIE." I use this and it works pretty well. Some browsers, like Opera supposidly can operate as Netscape or IE, so I'm not sure how it would react, but for the most part it's a decent way to limit your visitors. So some example code maybe:

$browser = $HTTP_USER_AGENT;
if (!ereg("MSIE",$browser) or ereg("AOL",$browser)) { echo "Not allowed."; }

Again, it's basic and simple but it works if you have PHP already running.
Good luck, cheers
~BV

[Anon]

ok, I wrote this script and it works, even opera is detected as such, even if I select the option "obfuscate opera as internet explorer". I also wróte a perl script, but that one believes opera to be internet explorer. well, it doesn't matter, since my server supports perl as well as php, I'll simply use this script. Does somebody know how to detect operational system in php (Mac, windows, unix, sun)?
<?php

if (eregi("webwasher",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: webwasher.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("aol",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: aol.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("netcaptor",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: netcaptor.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("MSIE 6",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("Internet Explorer",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: http://127.0.0.1:81/cgi/browser/billygates.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("MSIE 5.5",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("Internet Explorer",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: http://127.0.0.1:81/cgi/browser/billygates55.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("MSIE 5",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("Internet Explorer",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: http://127.0.0.1:81/cgi/browser/billygates5.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("MSIE 4",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("Internet Explorer",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: http://127.0.0.1:81/cgi/browser/billygates4.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("Gecko",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: gecko.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("Netscape 6",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||

eregi("Mozilla/5",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {

Header("Location: gecko.htm");

exit;

}

if (eregi("opera",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {
Header("Location: opera.htm");
exit;
}

if (eregi("mozilla/4.78",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT")) ||
eregi("",getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT"))) {

Header("Location: netscape4.htm");
exit;
}

else {
Header("Location: fuckoff.htm");
exit;
}

?>

[Anon]

small correction: I had to set the opera detection BEFORE internet explorer detection in order to ensure that it is detected as opera before it reaches the internet explorer detection. then opera goes to the opera page, while internet explorer skips opera detection and goes to the ie page