Posted on 10/18/2006 9:32:00 PM PDT by Eagle9
Microsoft on Wednesday launched the first major update to Internet Explorer in five years, and posted the new browser for Windows XP to a download site.
IE 7, which has was announced in February 2005 by chairman Bill Gates, has been touted by the company as a significant update in the areas of security and usability. The interface has been streamlined and tabs have been added to compete with rivals such as Mozilla's Firefox and Opera's flagship browser. On the security front, IE 7 adds anti-phishing defenses as well as additional features to control ActiveX controls, which historically have been a pain point for Microsoft's browser.
IE 7 for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 can be downloaded from here.
"It's here, it's final, and we're excited," said Margaret Cobb, the group product manager for the browser.
The most controversial aspect of IE 7 has been Microsoft's decision to push the update to all users who have Automatic Updates enabled. Although users can reject IE 7 -- and continue using their current edition of Internet Explorer -- Microsoft will begin rolling out the browser as a "High priority" update next month. In July, when Microsoft offered up a toolkit to indefinitely postpone IE 7's installation, it justified using Automatic Updates, a mechanism for providing patches to Windows, because of the new browser's security implications.
"We've told enterprise customers to be ready [for IE 7] by Nov. 1," said Cobb. "It won't begin Nov. 1, but they should be ready."
The IE 7 update will also not add to the burden of Microsoft's monthly security patch delivery, scheduled for Nov. 14, promised Cobb. "We won't do it on Patch Tuesday."
Microsoft will also throttle back IE 7's delivery to keep the server load under control, she added. "We're starting with English, and then moving to the localized versions as they come available. At first we'll run it very slow, to a low percentage of users." After assessing the impact, Microsoft will increase the amount of traffic from the servers. "I'll have a 10 a.m. call every day to go over the impact on support or services," said Cobb, who can then order downloads to be scaled back or increased.
It will take as long as three months to deliver IE 7 to all users worldwide. "As each localized language comes online, we'll wait a few weeks after posting it for download before delivering it through Automatic Updates."
Microsoft has made one change late in the game. After IE 7 has installed, it will tell the user which search engine is the current default -- grabbed from IE 5 or IE 6 -- and then ask if they want to make a new choice. The process is similar to, but not identical, to the choice that Windows Vista users will face when they upgrade from Windows XP.
"We added this after RC3," said Cobb. "We're letting users know what engine is the default, and asking them if they want to keep it or do they want to switch. We're also going to be supporting IE 7."
Beginning Thursday, Microsoft will open a free, toll-free support line for IE 7. The help desk will be manned Monday through Friday 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. PDT, and on weekends from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PDT.
Internet Explorer's chief rival, Mozilla Corp.'s Firefox browser, is nearing the final release of version 2.0. Currently on Release Candidate 3 (RC3), Firefox 2.0 should make it out the door before the end of the month.
Users who want to block the download and installation of IE 7 through Automatic Updates, as well as the Windows Update and Microsoft Update sites should steer here, where they can retrieve the Internet Explorer 7 Blocker Toolkit.
Another one of your lies because I have never ever responded to your endless worship of this hacker. When I rightfully pointed out the danger of visiting the websites of foreign hackers (after one of your leftist buddies posted a link to get some copyright breaking code), you went on an endless defense of foreign hackers and cited this guy as your example. Funny now that you're having to admit he's actually an American! But no wonder you worship him, since even though he seems to be American he seems to want to glorify Russia instead. You guys sure are pathetic, but if you could just tell the truth you wouldn't get the entirety of your sordid reprehensible behavior pointed out to everyone.
Another one of your lies because I have never ever responded to your endless worship of this hacker. When I rightfully pointed out the danger of visiting the websites of foreign hackers (after one of your leftist buddies posted a link to get some copyright breaking code), you went on an endless defense of foreign hackers and cited this guy as your example. Funny now that you're having to admit he's actually an American! But no wonder you worship him, since even though he seems to be American he seems to want to glorify Russia instead. You guys sure are pathetic, but if you could just tell the truth you wouldn't get the entirety of your sordid reprehensible behavior pointed out to everyone.
You were defending the city manager of a pissant little town in Oklahoma who didn't know the first thing about computers despite claiming decades of experience.
Linux was ripped off those systems, so, you lose again.
Another recorded lie for GE.
He was complaining because the CentOS welcome page came up when he tried to visit his city's web site, and he actually thought that meant computers in his offices had been hacked. The reason it was there was because his hosting service didn't correctly configure the OS on their web servers (CentOS), thus causing the initial "you just built this machine" welcome page to come up.
So you tell me that this hosting service ripped CentOS off its machines just because of this one idiot customer? You can't, because simple research shows he switched providers. That was probably a good idea because his provider didn't come out looking too competent in this episode either.
You just did, and it wasn't the first time.
When I rightfully pointed out the danger of visiting the websites of foreign hackers (after one of your leftist buddies posted a link to get some copyright breaking code)
Actually, you first started this when a fellow FReeper gave a link to a Flash animation on his own web site that showed how easy a legitimate system update was in Linux, and you accused him of sending people to foreign hacker sites to get system updates.
Babu, see what I mean? This is why we treat him so.
Yep, I was defending the American, while you leftists were posting foreign news articles attacking him.
Yep, they no longer use the CentOS Linux on the city's websites. And I think it's safe to say they never will, again.
Keep digging, you're just further exposing your lies in support of foreign hackers, websites, software, anything.
Of course they've discontinued any IE for Macs...
MS must be feeling the heat of OS X.
You were defending an idiot politician against a US Navy retiree with real UNIX experience going back to the early 80s. Oh, you didn't know that about the CentOS guy?
Yep, they no longer use the CentOS Linux on the city's websites.
Wrong answer, the weasel won't work. Your claim was, and I quote, "Linux was ripped off those systems." The city switched hosting services, which does not mean Linux was "ripped off those systems."
And I think it's safe to say they never will, again.
The city manager's pride got hurt. And seeing his ravings in the exchange, I believe he would be the type to hold a childish grudge. But in his defense, he is absolutely clueless about anything related to computers, and didn't even understand the concept of an operating system being used to run a web server. So he probably just went with a different hosting service, using whatever OS the new service used.
They absolutely are, or Vista wouldn't be what it is, an attempt at an OS X clone.
But as far as IE goes, it just wasn't necessary anymore with Safari and Firefox, given they didn't make any money off it. BTW, MS Office continues to be a hot seller for the Mac.
I don't care about your semantics exchange. I just don't like you throwing around credentials that are highly suspect at best.
Mr. Babu (and others who may be interested):
Now you will get a chance to clearly see how deceitful these open source fanatics are. Did you see the post above where antiRepublican call me a liar, and disputed my assertion his love of Russian hackers was exposed on a thread that advocated breaking copyright? Well here is that thread, entitled "Hackers boot a Dell with Mac OSX", which breaks the copyright rules put in place by Apple, and has nothing to do with "training videos" or whatever his newest lie was:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602741/posts
My fist post to this thread was "running software from Russian hackers is not something I would recommend", which is quite reasonable, is it not?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602741/posts?page=59#59
Here is the antiRepublican's response, immediately full of lies and deceit, trying to glorify some Russian hacker, but today has finally admitted the hacker was actually an American!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602741/posts?page=71#71
You can see the endless lies and glorification of Russian hackers continue from there, just as we're seeing today on this thread. AntiRepublican isn't the only one constantly glorifying Russian hackers either, his accomplice FLAMING DEATH recently claimed that Russians invented Multics, another bizzare claim from these obvious fruitcakes.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1710675/posts?page=225#225
AntiRepublican openly admits he's an atheist and therefore feels no repentance for sin, and with a name like FLAMING DEATH his buddy might even be worse. I'd suggest using extreme caution in dealing with these twisted fools, as I'm sure you will.
You were defending foreigners over Americans like always. Don't give me any BS about being former Navy either, you used to be a Christian too but now speak out against it's supporters as well on all the atheism threads you frequent. And yes, they dumped Linux, it doesn't matter if Linux was ripped off or their website was, Linux was dumped, deal with it.
Nope, the CentOS exchange was between two Americans, one a raving idiot city manager.
Don't give me any BS about being former Navy either
I'm not. I'm former Army. War veteran, too. How do ya like them apples?
The CentOS guy is former Navy.
you used to be a Christian too
Now you bring religion into a computer thread. You are truly grasping as you sink.
And yes, they dumped Linux, it doesn't matter if Linux was ripped off or their website was, Linux was dumped, deal with it.
I don't care what OS they chose eventually. What matters is that you lied again, I proved it, and you're weaseling again instead of admitting it.
I love your attempt to mischaracterize. You claimed expert authority on security as always. I tried to find out if you knew that one of the most prominent hackers in the world was actually American despite his handle (something I thought everybody in security knew). You didn't catch it, and I had fun, stringing you along for quite a long time until I finally let you go. I didn't "admit" he was American today, I finally let go of the joke a long time ago by telling you he is American. I just brought it up again today since you apparently forgot.
Just quit it GE, as the facts will always be against you. We have your own posts to prove it.
The thread (which I provided to expose your lies) was a link to a foreign website, where the story broke and they were mocking Americans, which you and your ilk jumped right in with ecstacy.
Yes religion now applies to this thread when an atheist is caught making endless lies going back months claiming some hacker is Russian then is not, more lies about training videos, etc etc etc.
You haven't proven CentOS wasn't ripped off those servers but the point was the Americans who were ridiculed by your foreign link have ripped their website off it. Good wins in the end, which is why you're taking another beating.
LMAO, I didn't mischaraterize a single thing, I found and posted the exact link to expose the lies that you have been perpetuating for months, which you have added to extensively today.
Actually it was ziggy that linked that thread above, but here it is, with antiRepublican and his open source buddies posting a foreign link that attempts to ridicule Americans attempting to secure their websites.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1604720/posts
Liar..
http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=www.cityoftuttle.org
LOL that's some .org site, once again you're the liar and just like antiRepublican your attempted tricks are pathetic and sinful. The official .gov site runs on Windows, and comes up first on any search engine.
http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=http://www.tuttle-ok.gov
Never used it, but I've worked with other people who thought the same thing.
You took it out of context, and flat-out lied that I only today "admitted" he was American. I revealed the joke on you quite a while a go.
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