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Business Must Be Cautious With Firefox
Computerworld ^ | JANUARY 24, 2005 | Michael Gartenberg

Posted on 01/24/2005 4:31:29 PM PST by holymoly

(COMPUTERWORLD) - There has been a lot of buzz in the past few months over the arrival of Firefox, the open-source browser published by The Mozilla Foundation, and how Microsoft's Internet Explorer is starting to lose some of its share of the browser market to this new competitor. Out of the ashes of Netscape, Mozilla has built a solid browser that supports features such as tabbed views, Google for native searches and direct support for RSS feeds. But business users need to think twice about making the switch from Internet Explorer, since Firefox lacks the ability to run Microsoft ActiveX code.

When Microsoft integrated Internet Explorer tightly with its operating systems and allowed the browser to execute Windows code, it created a double-edged sword. On one hand, a new class of richer Web-based applications could be created, allowing for a far more interactive Web experience. Unfortunately, opportunities for hackers to exploit this feature and execute malicious code on users' machines have been abundant. The result has been a security nightmare for IT organizations, which must deal with an endless series of patches and fixes from Microsoft to preserve their online safety.

Firefox was released into a browser market that hadn't been very active or innovative since Netscape's decline. Lacking strong competition, Internet Explorer was no longer a strategic product for Microsoft, and few resources were devoted to it, other than those needed to fix bugs and security holes. This left the market open for the Mozilla team to create its user-friendly and secure browser.

The reception that Firefox has received from consumers and the press might tempt business users to switch browsers, but there are some good reasons not to. Many mission-critical applications have been built on Internet Explorer, and most organizations don't have the budget or resources to recode them. In addition, PCs' application loads need to be properly tested to ensure that nothing breaks with the addition of a different browser. In the near term, many business users will be better served by keeping Internet Explorer and installing security updates as they're released. If they aren't dependent on Internet Explorer technology, however, some end users could use Firefox for their daily Web surfing while reserving Internet Explorer use for sites that require it.

Despite the factors that should keep many business users from adopting Firefox at the expense of Internet Explorer, I believe this new browser is going to be a force for positive change in the industry. There's no doubt that Firefox resonates with end users. Microsoft's lack of ambition in driving browser development forward, combined with the multitude of security issues associated with Internet Explorer, fostered an environment where Firefox could flourish.

Although the 21st century browser wars don't have nearly as much at stake as the Netscape/IE skirmish -- that sort of intensity is reserved today for things like desktop search, where there's money to be made -- a more competitive browser market could be developing.

If Microsoft is spurred by Firefox's success to put more resources into Internet Explorer, it would help create a better experience for both businesses and consumers. That might even happen before Longhorn ships.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: activex; browser; explorer; firefox; ie; internet; microsoft; mozilla; msie; secure; security; windows
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firefox bonks all the time when I use excite mail. but its probably something with excite...they have a lot of cookies and spyware I think...blocking all those seems to make firefox load the mail page funny


21 posted on 01/24/2005 5:44:35 PM PST by KneelBeforeZod ( I'm going to open Cobra Kai dojos all over this valley!)
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To: Phsstpok

ping for later reading


22 posted on 01/24/2005 5:45:51 PM PST by Phsstpok ("When you don't know where you are, but you don't care, you're not lost, you're exploring.")
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To: facedown

Can anyone explain to me (in very simple English, please) why I'm unable to run RealPlayer, Quicktime, or Windows Media when using my Mozilla Browser, & what I can do to fix this problem? They work just fine on Internet Explorer (well......not excatly, considering that I am using a terribly slllllllllllllow 56k modem, but I can handle that if I can just remember to be patient).

Thank you!


23 posted on 01/24/2005 5:46:54 PM PST by libertyman (Dims = tax & SPEND; GOP = borrow & SPEND. Either way, WE'RE SCREWED!)
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To: arasina
T-bird is fair, and they've finally gotten past that goofy folder tree with two sets of "Sent" and "Trash" and "Drafts", etc, but it still lacks common sense things, such as a "Save As" button ala OE, and the ability to set a "save as" default and the type as an .eml file.

When you save a piece of mail, what the heck is "all files"?

24 posted on 01/24/2005 5:47:21 PM PST by JoJo Gunn (More than two lawyers in any Country constitutes a terrorist organization. ©)
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To: holymoly

BTTT


25 posted on 01/24/2005 5:50:32 PM PST by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: holymoly
But business users need to think twice about making the switch from Internet Explorer, since Firefox lacks the ability to run Microsoft ActiveX code.

Of course it does.
That's why Microshaft created it!

26 posted on 01/24/2005 5:51:56 PM PST by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen, ignorance and stupidity.)
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To: holymoly
If they aren't dependent on Internet Explorer technology, however, some end users could use Firefox for their daily Web surfing while reserving Internet Explorer use for sites that require it.

My "solution" is to ignore (boycott) sites that "require" MSIE. So far, in the rare cases I tried to use an MSIE-required site,I have never been unable to get what I needed from a different site that doesn't rquire IE.

27 posted on 01/24/2005 6:03:57 PM PST by ApplegateRanch (The world needs more horses, and fewer Jackasses!)
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To: libertyman
Can anyone explain to me (in very simple English, please) why I'm unable to run RealPlayer, Quicktime, or Windows Media when using my Mozilla Browser, & what I can do to fix this problem?

Windows Media Player will not work as a plugin with Mozilla/Firefox. That's all there is to it.

As far as the others, you may need to uninstall & reinstall them.

Mozilla (and I believe Firefox) contains a "plugins" subdirectory; when Real Player & other plugins are installed, they place their respective plugin files in that directory.

If you've installed Mozilla to its' default directory, any Mozilla-compatible plugins should be installed to C:\Program Files\mozilla.org\Mozilla\plugins
28 posted on 01/24/2005 6:11:37 PM PST by holymoly (About:Blank)
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To: holymoly

"If they aren't dependent on Internet Explorer technology, however, some end users could use Firefox for their daily Web surfing while reserving Internet Explorer use for sites that require it."

Dump those sites. Do not visit...do not do business with them.


29 posted on 01/24/2005 6:15:39 PM PST by Revel
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To: Revel
Dump those sites. Do not visit...do not do business with them.

I agree. They're only harming themselves, by alienating the millions of people who do not, and will not, use MSIE.
30 posted on 01/24/2005 6:20:06 PM PST by holymoly (About:Blank)
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To: WIladyconservative
"I use Firefox and Thunderbird and I'm not all that pleased with them."

Not only that. Firefox is open source. Wait until it becomes a little more popular and the virus writers start looking at the code.

Hello?

31 posted on 01/24/2005 6:44:35 PM PST by El Gran Salseron ( The replies by this poster are meant for self-amusement only. Read at your own risk. :-))
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To: libertyman; holymoly; KoRn; ShadowAce; soccer_linux_mozilla
Can anyone explain to me...

Not me, for sure. All three work for me. I see that holymoly has given you some advice but these other folks may have some more.

32 posted on 01/24/2005 6:56:12 PM PST by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: holymoly
use Firefox for their daily Web surfing while reserving Internet Explorer use for sites that require it.

That's exactly what I do.Sometimes I turn my computer on and Firefox simply doesn't work, so I switch to IE.Sometimes IE doesn't work so I switch to Firefox.I still haven't figured out why my only XP machine will not maintain a reliable internet connection while all the 98se machines in the house do without fail.

33 posted on 01/24/2005 6:56:21 PM PST by edchambers (Neocon foot-soldier of the Haliburton death squad)
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To: facedown; libertyman
All three work for me.

You got WMP to work with Mozilla? I never could. As I recall, it was the only one I could never figure out. Of course, with alternatives such as Crescendo (handles MIDI & MP3), I didn't spend a great deal of time on the problem.

http://www.armadilloweb.com/Crescendo/crescendo_download.shtml
http://swingera.net/Crescendo.html
34 posted on 01/24/2005 7:00:57 PM PST by holymoly (About:Blank)
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To: Utilizer


Download firefox...

then go get spywareblaster. It's free and works great with firefox!
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html


35 posted on 01/24/2005 7:05:42 PM PST by Dysfunctional
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To: Dysfunctional

Sorry, but I am very happy with Opera. Then again, I might play with it a bit, but overall I just do not see any reason to abandon what works perfectly well. Spywareblaster does not have what I like most from ATGuard: connect-only-if-agreed-to sites. No matter what site is pointed to, a little window pops up and asks "Allow, deny, always allow, always deny". Best thing since sliced bread. :)


36 posted on 01/24/2005 7:18:11 PM PST by Utilizer
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To: Revel
Dump those sites. Do not visit...do not do business with them.

Unfortanately one of the sites is my 401K manager. What should I do then. I spoke to them and they say they "may" rewrite their site to accept Mozilla.

37 posted on 01/24/2005 7:18:12 PM PST by raybbr
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To: libertyman; facedown
I've never had any problems running Windows Media in Firefox using the default settings. I don't use RealPlayer or Quicktime so I can't speak of those. I may have missed it, but I don't see any settings for playing media in FF.

Are there any websites you can give as an example of not working?
38 posted on 01/24/2005 7:41:44 PM PST by KoRn
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To: libertyman
Here you go, all about plugins for Mozilla/Firefox.
http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows.html

According to the above site...

"If you are using Windows Media Player 7.1 or later, Mozilla will detect and use the Windows Media Player plugin if it is installed."

You may want to check what version of Windows Media Player you have installed.

As far as QuickTime, it states:

"The QuickTime 6 installer will automatically detect your browser's plugins folder and install the plugin."

RealPlayer (10 and later, RealOne Player):
"The RealPlayer installer will automatically detect your browser's plugins folder and install the plugin."

You may want to check what versions of Real Player & QuickTime you have installed. Perhaps they're older versions, not supported by Mozilla? Or perhaps they were installed before Mozilla? (In which case they may need to be re-installed.)
39 posted on 01/24/2005 8:16:00 PM PST by holymoly (About:Blank)
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To: libertyman
Can anyone explain to me (in very simple English, please)...

It sounds like you do not have the correct plugins installed, or you installed the plugins before you installed Mozilla/Firefox.

Go to this site and follow the directions listed for the application you would like to run. You can install more than one, just for clarity's sake.

40 posted on 01/24/2005 8:25:58 PM PST by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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